Double Trouble
by Red Hardy
Summary: Frank and Joe are sent on a mission – rescue two young brothers who have been kidnapped by a crime family in an effort to keep their father from testifying. Frank finds this is easier said than done as he and Joe face a multitude of challenges in the wilderness – and one very opinionated seven-year-old boy!
1. Chapter 1

I have to confess to never having been camping in my life – I LOVE the outdoors and being outside. I can easily spend an entire day outside, hiking and enjoying nature, but I need indoor plumbing and somewhere to plug in my hair dryer so yeah, no camping. Given that, and the fact that 85% of this story is set in the wilderness, I tried to be a little vague in certain instances so as not to make a complete fool of myself in front of people who DO know a thing or two about camping and surviving in the wilderness. James Smith had very graciously offered to read this before I posted it and let me know where I went astray and give me advice on how to do some rewrites, however I've come to realize that with real life interfering and being transferred to a new department at work that is going to require almost two months of intense training, I am not going to have time to do any writing, or rewriting, for a very long time. So, I'm just going to go ahead and post this as is. I apologize in advance for any errors in what it actually takes to survive for a couple of days in the woods. Feel free to send me a PM with constructive criticism and helpful hints – I can always use them for future stories. And thank you again, James, for the offer; it was very much appreciated!

 **Double Trouble**

 **Chapter 1**

Seven-year-old Jamie Bingham lay on the cot next to his brother, Ford, and stared out the window on the opposite wall. Gazing out at the stars calmed the boy, allowing his imagination to wander. Tonight he was counting the stars, making a wish on the brightest ones; a wish that he and his brother would soon be home again.

While they hadn't been mistreated by their captors, the boy was still afraid of the men who never smiled and carried the big guns. More than anything, he wanted to be home in his own bedroom surrounded by his own toys, knowing his mommy and daddy were right down the hall. Maybe if he wished really hard, it might happen tonight. As Jamie tried to muster all the hope he could manage, a large, black shape floated silently past the window.

"Ford!" he whispered harshly. "Did you see that?" Scrambling to the other side of the room, he dragged a chair to the window and climbed up peering out into the night.

"See what?" his ten-year-old brother asked.

"A big… thing… just flew by the window!" Jamie gasped and bounced on the chair impatiently. "It was a parachute! LOOK! There's another one!" He turned and waved his brother over. "I bet they're here to rescue us! I wished really, really hard this time!"

Ford sighed and gently coaxed his younger brother off the chair. "Maybe." He guided the blonde boy back to the cot. "Or it could be the people who kidnapped us practicing or something. Come lay down and I'll read to you some more."

Jamie scowled at his brother, not wanting Ford to dash his hopes of rescue – again. Stopping halfway across the room, he crossed his arms over his chest and stared at Ford. "I don't want you to read to me! I wanna go home!" Defiant, he stamped his foot for good measure.

"So do I, but it might not be tonight."

"But it could be!" Jamie was petulant. "You don't know absolutely, positively, cross your heart and hope to die for sure that it won't be tonight." Suddenly the small boy's resolve crumbled and his lower lip began to tremble. "I wanna go home." Hot tears burned his eyes and rolled down his cheeks. "When are we gonna go home?"

Through blurred vision, Jamie saw his brother return to his side. He felt a comforting arm around his shoulders as Ford led him back to the cot. They sat down, side by side and Jamie snuggled close to his brother. Sniffling, he wiped the sleeve of his shirt across his nose and swiped at his eyes.

"I'm not crying," his voice wavered. "Only babies cry and I'm not a baby.

"I know you're not." Ford hugged him a little tighter. "But can you stay right here next to me? It makes me feel better."

"Well… okay." The younger boy cuddled against his older brother.

Jamie listened half-heartedly to his brother reading from one of the books their captors had given them. He strained to hear if there were any unusual noises outside the window or the locked door. By the time Ford had reached the end of the book, Jamie's hope had also reached an end.

"Guess we won't be rescued tonight." He willed the burning sensation in his eyes to go away.

Ford's voice was soft. "Maybe tomorrow." He turned off the lamp on the table, lay down on the cot and pulled Jamie close to him.

"Maybe." Jamie curled up between the wall and Ford. Closing his eyes, he silently warned the monsters away, knowing he was safe and protected in the shadow of his big brother.

Frank Hardy crouched in the underbrush, his 6'1" frame protesting the cramped position. As his deep brown eyes continually swept the foreboding mansion and grounds in front of him, he thought back to the series of events that landed him here.

Three days earlier the F.B.I had contacted Fenton Hardy, requesting the help of Hardy and Sons Investigations on a very sensitive matter. Forrest Bingham, the key witness in the government's case against one of the largest crime families on the East Coast, was scheduled to testify in a few days. His wife and two young sons had been placed in protective custody by the government but somehow, members of the crime family had managed to slip past all the security measures and kidnap his sons. Bingham had received a message that as long as he took the stand and did not implicate the family in any way, his sons would be returned unharmed. If, however, he testified as planned, bringing down the crime family's operations in the process, his sons would be killed. The government had wanted to change the date of his testimony until they could locate and rescue the boys, but Bingham had refused, knowing if the date were changed his sons would be killed immediately.

After much pleading and prodding he agreed to testify, but only if certain conditions were met, the first being that Fenton Hardy arrange a safe house for his family and take charge of their safety with no interference from the government whatsoever. Bingham was certain he knew where his sons were being held and was insistent that he would share that information with Fenton on the condition that the Hardys use it to rescue his sons and bring them to the safe house where his wife would be waiting for them. His final stipulation was that the Hardys guard his family until his testimony was complete and they were all in the Witness Protection Program. Reluctantly, the agent in charge had called in the Hardys to meet Bingham's demands.

Frank smiled as he recalled the first meeting with Forrest Bingham when he had briefed them on his two sons. The picture he'd given them showed ten-year-old Ford Bingham with dark brown hair and matching eyes framed by wire-rimmed glasses, who was described by his father as quiet, intelligent, thoughtful and fiercely protective of his younger brother. Seven-year-old Jamie had blonde hair, mischievous blue eyes and an infectious smile.

"All boy." Forrest Bingham had said with a wistful smile.

Glancing to his right at his own brother, Frank couldn't help but be a little awed at the similarities once again. Twenty-four-year old, blue-eyed Joe Hardy was also watching the imposing structure they were preparing to infiltrate.

' _All boy,'_ Frank thought noting the tiny smile on his brother's face despite the danger that awaited them. _'Still.'_ Frank checked the luminous dial on his watch. "Ready?" he asked quietly.

Joe tugged on the dark baseball cap covering his blonde hair and grinned. "Let's go."

The brothers silently made their way towards the first building, hugging the cement wall that surrounded the sprawling compound. Forrest Bingham had attended enough meetings here to give the Hardys a good description of the complex. He was certain his sons were being held in the building that housed the security offices rather than the house itself.

As they got closer to the building, Frank signaled Joe to stop. Staring at the structure, Frank visualized the layout in his mind, trying to get his bearings. His eyes ran the length of the two story building coming to a stop on a door at the end closest to them. Nodding to himself, Frank began moving forward again. When they were directly opposite the door, Frank sprinted across the expanse of grass and flattened himself against the building. Seconds later, Joe was beside him. While Joe kept watch, Frank disabled the door's alarm and then nodded at his brother.

Dropping to his knees, Joe pulled a small case from his pocket, unzipped it and pulled out a slim piece of metal. Frank held a penlight as Joe expertly worked the lock, flashing a triumphant grin when he heard a 'pop'. Returning the lock pick kit to his pocket, Joe stood and opened the door a crack. Peering inside, he saw nothing but a long empty corridor. Pushing it open a little further, he slipped inside with Frank right behind him.

Frank immediately looked up, his eyes searching the ceiling. He spotted the vent for the heating and air conditioning duct a few feet away. Moving forward, he stopped directly underneath it. Joe silently appeared next to him and stared up at the grate.

"Flip ya for it," he murmured hopefully.

"Forget it," Frank chuckled. "You're stronger. Give me a boost."

Joe huffed and rolled his eyes but laced his fingers together nonetheless. Frank placed one foot in Joe's hands and, using the floor for additional leverage, pushed himself upward. Joe grunted but held steady as Frank reached up and pushed the grate up and to the side. Putting both arms through the opening, he nudged Joe who boosted him up and into the duct. Getting his upper body through the small rectangle, Frank pulled himself up and into the duct. Turning around in the claustrophobically small space, he reached one arm back down through the opening. Joe bent his knees and jumped, propelling himself upwards. He grabbed Frank's outstretched arm with one hand and grasped the edge of the opening with the other. With Frank's assistance, he tumbled through the opening and whacked his head on the top of the ductwork with a dull thud.

"Graceful, aren't ya?" Frank laughed softly as he slid the grate back into place. Joe scowled and rubbed his head. "This way," Frank whispered and started crawling through the small, dusty passageway.

For several minutes the brothers crawled along the cramped space, stopping once when two security guards passed right below them. Frank could so clearly hear what they were saying that he actually held his breath. Even then he was almost afraid they might hear his heart beating. When their voices and footsteps finally faded away and there was nothing but silence, he began moving again. After another series of twists and turns Frank suddenly stopped abruptly, causing Joe to run into him. Frank rolled his eyes and glared over his shoulder at Joe who shrugged an apology.

Frank hovered over the grate, listening intently. Hearing no sounds from the hall below, he carefully lifted the grate and poked his head out. Scanning the hall, he saw no one and dropped down to the floor without making a sound. Joe quickly followed and immediately crouched down. Frank climbed onto his shoulders and Joe slowly stood up.

"Man, you need to lose a few pounds," he cracked as Frank slid the grate back into place.

"Maybe you need to lift a few more," Frank countered as he slid off Joe's shoulders and back to solid ground. Jerking his head towards a door at the end of the hall he motioned Joe to follow. Opening the door a crack, Frank listened for a moment and then pulled the door open. He and Joe entered the stairwell and quickly climbed to the second floor. Once more Frank cautiously opened the door and made sure there was no one in the hall before entering. Confidently, he strode to the second door on the right and stopped directly in front of it. "This one," he said softly.

"You sure about that?" Joe teased.

"Just open it," Frank muttered.

Dropping to his knees, Joe pulled out his lock pick kit and set to work while Frank hovered behind him, constantly scanning the hall.

' _So far, so good.'_ He hoped their luck would hold out until they had accomplished the first part of their mission and were safely off the compound.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you so much for all the reviews, follows and likes! You guys rock! Cheryl, I'll write this weekend - if not sooner.

 **Double Trouble**

 **Chapter 2**

Thinking about the parachutes, Jamie was too keyed up to sleep. He was sure it wasn't the men who had kidnapped him and his brother practicing, as Ford had suggested. He'd been staring at the ceiling, wondering just who it could have been when soft murmurs outside the door caught his attention. Hearing soft scratching sounds, he scrambled up to a sitting position.

"What is it?" Ford mumbled, half asleep.

"Someone's at the door!" Jamie replied in a loud whisper.

Seconds later the door opened and a shadowy figure stepped inside. Immediately Jamie lunged for the small table next to the cot, flicking on the lamp there. The figure, a tall man with dark hair, blinked a few times as his eyes adjusted to the light.

Seeing the two boys, he moved forward towards the cot. "Come on guys, let's go."

The dark haired man reached out for Ford's arm. Jamie launched himself off the cot and kicked the man hard in the shin.

The man reeled back, hopping on one leg. "OW!"

Jamie ran forward and shoved the man, who landed on his rear end with a thud.

"Hey, what are you doing?" the man asked angrily. "I'm the good guy!"

"No, you're not! Good guys wear white! You're all dressed in black! You even have bad guy hair." Jamie eyed the man's dark brown hair suspiciously.

"He's got a point. You are wearing tell-tale bad guy black."

Jamie spun around to see another man leaning against the doorframe. He was smiling at the man who was sitting on the floor still rubbing his leg, Jamie noted with a measure of satisfaction. Jamie looked warily at the man in the doorway.

"Who're you?!" he demanded, standing his ground between the two men and his brother.

"I'm his partner." The man walked into the room and softly closing the door behind him.

"So you're a bad guy, too!"

"Nah, we really are the good guys. See?" The man removed his dark baseball cap and ran a hand through his wavy blonde hair.

Jamie nodded in understanding. "Good guy hair."

The dark haired man looked confused. "Good guy hair?"

"Yeah. Bad guys usually have dark hair or they're bald," the blonde man began to explain.

"Or they wear a ponytail – like a girl!" Jamie scowled.

The man on the floor pushed himself up and hobbled the few steps to the cot, taking a seat next to Ford. He looked at the other man and shook his head.

"Leave it to you to understand the mind of a seven-year-old."

The blonde man laughed and turned to Jamie and Ford. "Okay, guys, your Dad sent us to get you out of here. So let's go before the real bad guys figure out we're here, huh?"

Jamie's eyes widened. "Were you the guys in the parachutes?!"

"That's us!"

"Whoa, that was awesome!" Jamie ran to the man, bouncing excitedly from one foot to the other. "Are we gonna parachute out?"

Before either man could respond, Jamie turned and ran back to the cot, jumping up beside his brother. "See?! I told you! I wished really, really hard and this time it worked! Come on let's go!" He tugged on his brother's arm. "We're gonna escape! This is gonna be so cool! I can't wait to tell Seth and Gavin and Bobby-"

"Hold on," Ford finally spoke. Holding up a hand to halt his excited brother's ramblings, he pushed the wire-rimmed glasses up on his nose, and looked at the man seated next to him. "Who are you?"

"I'm Frank Hardy and that's my brother Joe."

"What's the code word?"

"Bingo. He's your dog. A two-year-old mutt your dad got at the animal shelter."

Jamie had been watching the exchange between his brother and Frank Hardy, fidgeting nervously. He wanted to go but he wouldn't dare leave if Ford didn't give the okay. Suddenly Ford turned to him and nudged him off the cot.

"Let's go."

"YES!" Jamie bounded back to Joe and grabbed his hand, trying to pull Joe to the door. "Come on! We gotta get your parachute!"

Joe laughed. "Whoa, hang on there, big guy. We can't just go running out of here. We have to stick to the plan."

Frank snorted at Joe's words. "You sticking to a plan - that'll be a first. Hey, you're gonna need this." He held up a small jacket that had been thrown haphazardly on the floor in a heap.

"Oh, yeah!" Jamie raced back to Frank, reminding the elder Hardy of a pinball ricocheting from one side of a machine to the other.

Jamie grabbed the jacket, put it on and started back towards Joe. Stopping, he whirled and raced back to the bedside table and grabbed a small object off it, stuffing it in his pocket. Running back to Joe, Jamie hopped excitedly from one foot to the other. "Quick! Let's go before they find out you guys are here!"

Joe grinned at his brother. "You heard him. Let's go."

Shaking his head, Frank strode to the door and, after checking to make sure the hall was clear, led the small group back to the stairwell. Turning to the boys, he squatted down in front of them.

"Okay, here's the deal. We're going to go down the stairs and back out the door Joe and I came in through. We disabled the alarm on it. The security patrol is on the other side of the compound so if we hurry, we'll be able to get out without anyone seeing us. But we all need to be really, really quiet. Can you guys do that for me?" He looked directly at Jamie.

Jamie nodded enthusiastically, but didn't say a word.

"Okay, stay close and do exactly what we say."

Jamie nodded again and this time grabbed Joe's hand.

Following the same path they took in the ductwork, Frank led Joe and their two small charges down the stairs and through the corridors on the first floor. They were almost to the door when Frank heard voices floating down the hall towards them. He flattened himself up against the wall motioning the others to do the same.

"They're early!" he hissed, throwing a worried glance at Joe. "And they're blocking our only way out!"

"Here." Joe pushed Jamie towards Frank. "I'll provide a distraction while you get them out. I'll meet you back at the cave."

Joe had already started moving in the opposite direction, when Frank grabbed his jacket and pulled him to a stop. "No! We stick together. That's the plan, remember?"

"And if we stick to the plan, we all get caught." Joe extricated himself from Frank's grasp. "You got a better idea?"

Frank thought for a moment, trying to come up with a better solution. "No."

Joe spread his hands. "Well, then?"

"I don't have to like it," Frank snapped.

"No, you don't."

"Good, because I don't!" Frank shifted uncomfortably. "In fact I hate it!" The voices grew louder as the brothers stared at each other. "Okay, fine, but can you at least tell me what the distraction is going to be?"

"Nope."

Frank narrowed his eyes. "Why not?"

Joe grinned. "Because I haven't thought of it yet!"

As Joe turned to make his way back down the corridor, Frank touched his arm. "Don't get dead," he said with a wink.

Joe smiled. "I won't."

The boys had been very young when Fenton had been so seriously injured on a case that doctors feared he might die. Laura had tried to explain the concept of death to her two young sons, to prepare them for the unthinkable. While Frank had caught on rather quickly, Joe had a little more trouble with the idea of mortality, although he did grasp that his father's 'death' would make them all very sad. From that point on, whenever Fenton took on a new case, instead of "Don't get hurt," Joe's last words to his father were always "Don't get dead."

Frank watched until Joe disappeared around a corner. Sighing, he returned his attention to the task at hand. Looking at the myriad of doors lining the hall, his eyes lit on one with the words "Supply Closet" on it. Holding the boys' hands, he rushed forward at the same time gesturing towards the door with a nod of his head. Ford figured out what he had in mind and reached out, pulling the door open. Hustling the two boys inside, Frank closed the door. Turning on his penlight so he could see their faces, Frank squatted down in front of the boys and smiled.

"We've had a little change in plans," he whispered. "Joe's going to give us a little distraction…something that'll grab the bad guys' attention," he elaborated when Jamie looked at him in confusion. "When he does, the three of us are going to get out of here as fast as we can. Now while we're in here I need you guys to be really still. And no talking at all, okay? And when we get out of here, you stick to me like glue." Frank watched the two brothers carefully as he spoke. While Ford was solemn and serious, Jamie was grinning from ear to ear, looking as if he were about to burst, he was so keyed up.

Suddenly, Frank got a brief flash of memory out of the blue – Joe as a small boy, practically exploding with excitement. Frank couldn't place what it was that Joe had been so wound up about, but then again Joe had looked at every day of their childhood as a new adventure. Frank chuckled to himself. _'Still does!'_

Frank turned off the penlight and faced the closed door, making sure Ford and Jamie were both safely behind him. He opened the door a crack and peered out into the hall when everything went dark. _'Joe's distraction!'_

Frank couldn't see a thing, but he heard voices shouting in surprise and anger, and the sounds of running feet. He waited until several people ran by the closet, their voices dying out and then disappearing altogether. Ever prudent, he waited another minute before slowly opening the door. Stepping into the corridor, he shined his penlight on the floor. He reached back, grabbed Jamie's hand and instructed the younger boy to hold Ford's hand, creating a human chain. With a gentle tug, he started jogging towards the end of the hall and freedom. Reaching the door, he checked to make sure the alarm was still disabled and then pushed it open. They ran out the door into the night. Frank took one last glance over his shoulder at the darkened building.

' _You better make it back in one piece, little brother.'_


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks for all the reviews. I tried to make this story a little more light-hearted than what I normally write, so I'm glad you seem to be enjoying it.

 **Chapter 3**

Joe hurried back towards the stairwell as the beginnings of a plan formed in his mind. Visualizing the layout of the building, he moved past the door leading to the stairs and continued on to the next one. Pushing it open, he proceeded down a set of steps and emerged into the basement. Flipping on the lights, he walked around the perimeter of the room until he found what he was looking for – the main circuit breaker for the entire building. Nodding to himself, Joe continued searching the large room until he came upon the emergency generators and quickly disabled them.

Standing, he scanned the ceiling until he found the heating/air-conditioning duct. He grabbed a nearby stool, walked over and placed it directly under the grate. Joe climbed up on the stool, reached up and pushed the grate aside. Hopping off, he returned the stool to its original spot then walked back to the main circuit breaker and grabbed the handle.

' _I hope you're ready, Frank.'_

Joe pushed the handle to one side and the entire compound was plunged into darkness. He pulled out a penlight and hurried back to the opening in the ceiling, knowing the basement would soon be crawling with people. Holding the light between his teeth, Joe jumped up, grabbed the edges of the opening and pulled himself up. As he started to put the grate back into place over the gaping hole in the ceiling, it suddenly slipped from his hands and fell to the floor with a loud crash.

Joe cursed his clumsiness. _'Why don't you just leave a trail of breadcrumbs for them to follow?!'_

Fuming, Joe knew he had no time to jump down and retrieve the grate. He turned in the cramped space and started crawling as fast as possible, trying to remember the twists and turns on the schematic. Again and again, he banged his head or elbow on the top and sides of the duct, resulting in a dull thud each time. As he came to a stop at an intersection in the ductwork, a solitary bead of sweat rolled slowly down his back. Glancing first left and then right, Joe hesitated, listening to the sound of his own rapid breathing as the tiny beam from the penlight he still held in his teeth was bounced around against the darkness

' _Right. No left. I think….'_ Joe glanced both ways again, realizing he'd lost count of the turns he'd made and was no longer exactly sure where he was. _'Come on, Hardy, focus.'_

Concentrating, Joe tried to recall all the turns he'd made in his hasty journey. _'Right. Yeah, right.'_ With a final glance to his left, Joe turned in the other direction. Less than a minute later, he came to a dead end right above a grate. He lifted the grate hoping he'd counted correctly, otherwise Frank would soon have to mount a rescue operation for him.

Joe peered down into the darkness and listened. Hearing nothing, he noiselessly dropped to the floor. Shading the beam with his hand, Joe shined the penlight around, smiling when he saw a door several yards down the hall. Running towards it, he was just about to congratulate himself on a job well done when the hall was flooded with light. Joe stumbled, blinking rapidly to try and adjust his eyes to the brightness.

"Hey, you!" A voice echoed loudly down the hall. "STOP!"

Joe didn't hesitate. He scrambled for the door and pushed it open, diving through as gunshots rang out. A burning sensation ripped across his left shoulder. One of the bullets had found its mark.

Frank ran across the wide expanse of grass towards the cement wall, at times dragging the two boys behind him. Jamie stumbled once but quickly recovered. Heeding Frank's warnings, Ford and Jamie had yet to utter a word. From the sounds of their panting, Frank wasn't sure they could speak even if they wanted to.

Reaching the wall he and Joe had parachuted over only moments earlier, Frank reached down and grabbed Jamie, boosting him up to the top of the wall. "Sit tight for a second." He then hoisted Ford up next to his brother. Shrugging off his backpack, he took one step back and heaved it over the wall. Frank jumped and pulled himself up, dropping down on the other side. He extended his arms up towards Ford. "Jump, I'll catch you."

To Frank's surprise, Ford refused. "No." Before Frank could respond, Ford tugged on Jamie's sleeve. "He goes first, then I'll jump."

Frank bit back a smile and didn't even consider arguing with his small counterpart _. 'I know exactly how you feel.'_ He took two steps to his left and reached up towards Jamie, arms outstretched. He saw Jamie hesitate, look back at the darkened house, then swing his gaze back towards Frank. Jamie's worried face was illuminated by the moonlight. "What about Joe?"

Frank stared at the towheaded boy. During their mad dash for freedom, he'd been thinking the exact same thing. He was about to respond when he saw a backwash of light on the other side of the wall and knew the electricity was back on. "Jump! NOW!"

Jamie was still hesitating when Ford reached out and pushed him off the wall into Frank's arms. Ford waited just long enough for Frank to dump Jamie on the ground and move to his right before launching himself off the top of the wall. Frank caught the older boy and dropped him to the ground. Without waiting to be told, Ford grabbed his younger brother's hand and looked to Frank for direction.

Frank nodded straight ahead as he slung the backpack over his shoulders. "This way." He grabbed Jamie's free hand and had led the two brothers to the edge of the woods when gunshots rang out in the distance. Frank stopped in his tracks and turned back towards the compound.

' _Joe!'_

Every cell in his body was screaming at him to go back. Someone was taking potshots at his brother and Frank had no way of knowing if they had succeeded. He took one tentative step before miserably acknowledging his first priority – get Ford and Jamie to safety. "Come on, let's go." His voice voice sounding hollow.

Taking one last glance over his shoulder before disappearing into the woods, one thought ran through Frank's mind, _'Where are you, Joe?'_

Half diving, half falling through the doorway, Joe hit the ground hard and rolled on impact. Painfully getting to his feet, Joe clutched his arm and felt blood beginning to seep through his fingers. He squinted into the darkness, trying to get his bearings, when a high-powered beam of light appeared just a few feet away. _'Searchlights.'_

Joe began to run, a clumsy, zigzag pattern across the seemingly endless lawn, barely eluding the spotlights. He heard shouting behind him and the sound of motors starting up, but Joe kept his gaze fixed on the cement wall. He tried to run faster, as the wall didn't seem to be getting any closer, when he stumbled and fell. He cursed his own clumsiness, while awkwardly getting to his feet.

The shouts were getting louder now, as were the sounds of the vehicles his pursuers were using. _'Motorcycles? ATV's?'_ He lumbered unsteadily towards the wall as they gained ground on him. _'Almost there, almost there, almost there.'_ Joe repeated the two words, keeping a steady rhythm with his feet until he reached the imposing block of cement standing between him and freedom.

Not having the luxury of taking the time to remove his pack and throw it over the wall, Joe gritted his teeth, bent his knees and jumped. His fingers brushed the top of the wall and for one heart stopping second, Joe thought he was going to fall back down to the ground, when he finally got a finger hold. Joe hissed, adjusted his grip and pulled himself up and over the wall, falling in a heap on the other side. For several seconds, he lay there catching his breath and looking up at the dark night sky. Glancing to his left, he saw a dark smear on the wall and groaned. He was leaving a trail of blood behind that would lead a search party right to him.

Joe pushed himself up and, cradling his injured arm, took off for the woods. Knowing which direction Frank would have taken, he headed the other way. Looking back every few seconds, Joe made sure he was leaving a clear trail of small blood droplets as he hiked deep into the woods. Several minutes later he came to a small creek and stopped. Walking along the water's edge, he made sure to leave enough footprints and crushed vegetation so that his route would be easy to follow.

After another minute or so he stopped and let his pack fall to the ground. Taking off his jacket, he ripped off a patch of the bloody shirt sleeve. Taking out the penlight, Joe shined the light on the area where he'd been creased by the bullet. _'Not too bad, all things considered.'_

Satisfied that it was nothing more than a 'flesh wound,' Joe looked around for a good-sized rock. Finding one he thought would do the job he wound the bloody piece of shirt loosely around the rock and heaved it into the trees as far as he could. Picking up his pack, Joe turned and stepped into the shallow creek, wading across to the other side. Making sure he stayed just inside the water line, Joe began to backtrack towards the spot where he had jumped over the wall.

Careful to make as little noise as possible, Joe strained to hear any sound that would indicate he was being followed when he noticed small circles of light bobbing along on the opposite side of the water. Dousing his own penlight, Joe rushed forward, crouched behind a large boulder and peered over the top. Several men with guns were following the trail of blood he had so carefully left behind. When they were directly opposite him, Joe hunkered down behind the big rock. He waited. And waited. And waited. Just when he thought his ruse wouldn't work, Joe heard a triumphant shout. He grinned, knowing someone had just found the scrap of shirt he tossed into the trees.

The men pursuing him took the bait and hurried off, heading away from him. Their voices faded away. Joe let out a sigh of relief. Pushing himself up, Joe quietly resumed his trek to the cave where and he Frank would set up camp for the night.


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks to all for the reviews. And special thanks to James for the helpful information. I will file that away should I need it for a future story!

Hey, Cheryl – first hurricane of the season and it's Hurricane Danny! :D

 **Chapter 4**

With both the darkness and the slower pace at which two small boys walked, it took Frank and his charges over an hour to reach the cave where they would make camp for the night. Two federal agents had staked out the cave a few days earlier, making sure it was secure and leaving behind a few essential supplies. Arriving at the entrance to their new 'home', Frank pulled a much more powerful flashlight from his pack and led Ford and Jamie inside. He set to work building a small fire under the tiny opening in the roof of the cave.

Once the blaze was going well enough to provide warmth and light, Jamie was alight with curiosity. While he chatted with Ford, Frank pretended not to notice the little blonde boy inching his way towards the back of the cave, throwing frequent glances in Frank's general direction.

"Jamie…" Ford didn't even look up as he said his brother's name warningly, letting Jamie know his movements had not gone unnoticed.

Frank bit back a smile as he heard a heavy sigh from the younger Bingham. His head bowed, Jamie returned to his brother's side. "I just wanted to explore, that's all." He scowled and kicked at a small rock.

"You have to stay close to us. We just got rescued. You don't want to wander off and get snatched again, do you?"

Jamie wrinkled his nose and let out another heavy sigh. "I wouldn't get snatched again. And even if I did, Joe would find me!"

Frank's eyebrows shot up in surprise as he watched the exchange. _'Joe would find me? Joe isn't even here,'_ he thought, feeling slighted. _'And just what does that make me; chopped liver?'_

Watching Jamie, Frank almost laughed out loud when the younger boy stuck his tongue out at the back of Ford's head. Try as he might, Frank couldn't suppress a chuckle.

"He stuck his tongue out at me, didn't he?" Ford murmured without ever looking up from where he sat poking at the fire with a stick.

Frank grinned. "Mm-hmm." He wondered if Ford realized that habit would probably be one Jamie carried well into adulthood, just as Joe had. "You know this cave has already been thoroughly checked out. It doesn't go back too far and there's no other way in or out other than that one." He pointed to the entrance they'd come through. "So if he wants to explore it, I don't think that would be a problem."

Ford looked up and for the first time all night, he flashed a grin. "Thanks." Turning, he looked at his forlorn younger sibling. "Frank said it's okay if you go explore the back of the cave. But be careful."

"Cool!" Jamie's eyes lit up with excitement and he turned towards the rear of the cave.

"Here, I think you'll need this." Frank stopped Jamie with his voice.

Swiveling in place, Jamie trotted to Frank's side, grabbed the flashlight out of his hand and then disappeared in a blur.

With the first crisis resolved, Frank began unpacking the supplies that had been left for them. He felt Ford's eyes on him, watching his every move.

"Can I help?" the ten-year-old asked.

"Sure." Frank pointed to the backpack he'd been carrying. "There are some thermal blankets in there. They're a shiny silver color. Why don't you get them out and set up a place for you and Jamie to sleep right over there." He pointed to a spot near the small fire closer to the back of the cave than the front.

Ford nodded and set to work, removing items from the pack until he found the blankets Frank had described. "Where are you going to sleep?" he asked as he laid the blankets out.

"Joe and I will take turns sleeping. One of us will sleep while the other keeps watch and then we'll switch. So I won't be sleeping until Joe gets back anyway." Before he could continue, Jamie came running back, skidding to a stop in front of the fire. He was hopping up and down, excitedly bouncing from one foot to the other talking a mile a minute.

"Ford, guess what, guess what?! You won't believe what I found! There's all kinds of rocks back there! Big ones and little ones and some are real shiny! I was gonna pick some up and then I saw this huuuuuuuge hairy spider! He was big and had lots of legs! I tried to catch him but he got away! Ran right into a crack in the wall! There was lots of other bugs, too, but when I shined my light on 'em, they all scattered!"

Frank watched and listened, awed at how fast Jamie could speak and wondered how long it would be before he had to stop and take a breath. Glancing at Ford, he got a strange sense of déjà vu. He felt as if he were looking at his own past. Ford fixed his gaze on Jamie, listening to every breathless word the younger boy uttered, the same way he used to listen to Joe's childhood adventures. He watched, amused as Ford patiently waited until Jamie was done and then congratulated his brother on all the exciting things he'd discovered. Patting the dirt next to him, Ford motioned for Jamie to sit down. "Come here and sit next to me. It's nice and warm this close to the fire."

Jamie plopped down close to his older brother, humming to himself.

"Here guys, why don't you have a snack." Frank offered each of them a high protein granola bar and small bottle of water. "When Joe gets back, we'll eat dinner and then get some sleep. We've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow."

"Thanks." Ford accepted his graciously. Jamie, however, wrinkled his nose in distaste. "Don'tcha have any chocolate?"

Frank stifled a laugh as Ford reddened, embarrassed at his brother's outspokenness. "Jamie, don't be rude." He turned apologetic eyes on Frank. "I'm sorry. He really only likes fast food and junk food."

' _Why am I not surprised?'_ Frank mused. "Sorry, buddy," Frank apologized. "Joe might have some stashed in his pack but this is all I've got."

Jamie eyed the healthy snack and pouted but eventually accepted it with a murmured 'Thank you'. Unwrapping a bar for himself, Frank and the two boys ate in silence. Once he finished, Frank cleared his throat. "How about if we go over what's going to happen tomorrow, okay?"

Ford pushed his glasses up and stared at Frank while Jamie nodded his head enthusiastically. As Frank explained what their journey would entail, he noticed the way Ford appeared to absorb every word. Jamie, while he started out trying to focus, was very easily distracted. Picking up a stick, he poked at the fire a few times before a wayward bug caught his attention. Putting the stick directly in the bug's path, Jamie quietly whispered words of encouragement to the small insect, hoping to lure it onto the stick. Sensing danger, the bug scurried off into the darkness, leaving Jamie to amuse himself with the now empty granola wrapper.

' _It's like he's in constant motion, even when he's sitting still._ ' Watching the small boy, Frank suddenly saw not Jamie, but Joe. Looking into the past, Frank saw himself seated next to Joe in a church pew, the two of them wedged between their parents. At six years of age, Joe was squirming and fidgeting as if to sit still for an entire second would be sheer agony. Frank saw himself reach out and put a hand on Joe's back, and rub gently to try and settle him down.

He smiled as he watched the siblings. Ford's gaze never wavered from Frank, but he put one arm around Jamie and rubbed his shoulder. Gradually, Jamie began to settle down.

"Frank?"

Frank started and realized he was no longer talking, but rather staring at the two boys. Shaking his head, Frank continued with his explanation.

"We'll have to hike through the woods and around the mountain to get to the main road. Some special agents are going to meet us there and drive us to the airport. From there, we'll take a small, private plane to a secret house where your mom, dad, and Bingo are waiting for you. It'll take two days to get to the road, so we'll be camping again tomorrow-"

"YAY!" Jamie exclaimed.

Frank smiled at Jamie's exuberance. "Once we get to the airport, it'll only take us a few hours to fly to the house."

While Ford remained quiet and thoughtful, absorbing all the information Frank had given them, Jamie bounced up and down, grinning from ear to ear. "A private plane? I've never been on a private plane before! Hey, is Joe gonna come, too?" he demanded.

"You bet. I'd never leave without Joe. He's my partner."

"And you never leave your partner behind!"

"Never."

"Frank?" Ford's soft voice was a stark contrast to his brother's continuous, excited ramblings.

"Yes?"

"How do you know you can trust the pilot?"

Jamie gasped, not having considered that possibility. "Yeah! He could be one of the bad guys! What if he is? He could fly us somewhere else. Somewhere secret! No one will know! Nobody will ever find us!" he babbled, getting more excited by the second. "Ooh, but wait! We can use your parachutes and jump out the back door of the plane while the pilot's not looking!" He scrambled to his feet and jumped up and down at the thought then came to a jolting stop. "You got extra parachutes for us?"

Frank tried not to laugh out loud. "No, you won't need them."

"How do you know!" Jamie challenged him.

Frank smiled. "I know the pilot."

"How?" Jamie demanded. "How can you be absolutely, positively, pinky swear sure he won't be a bad guy?"

"Because I'm the pilot."

Jamie stared at him dubiously, apparently thinking this over. "Well, I guess that'd be okay, then," he said, although he still sounded a bit doubtful.

As Ford coaxed his younger brother back to a seated position, Frank chuckled softly. He watched the two brothers interact for a few moments, still amazed at the similarities between them and himself and Joe.

' _Joe…'_ A frown settled over Frank's face as he glanced towards the cave entrance willing Joe to arrive.

…

It was almost an hour later when Frank felt as if he were checking his watch for the fiftieth time. _'Come on, Joe, where are you?'_

"You're worried about him, aren't you?" Ford's voice startled Frank.

Frank looked down at the serious young boy. "I'm the big brother. It's my job to worry." He forced a smile so as not to frighten his young charge.

Nodding, Ford glanced at his own younger brother who was now happily engrossed in a hand held video game. "I know exactly how you feel. They can try your patience sometimes, can't they?"

Frank suppressed the laughter in his throat. "Yes, they can," he agreed, realizing the dark haired little boy was wise beyond his years. The hoot of an owl from somewhere close by sounded, causing Frank to whip his head around. Staring at the cave entrance, he waited, smiling when he heard it again. Crawling to the front of the cave, he returned the call and waited. Seconds later, Joe appeared in front of him, smiling broadly.

"Miss me?" Joe eased past his brother into the cave.

"JOE! JOE! You made it!" Jamie cried out. Rushing forward, he threw himself on Joe and hugged him. "I knew that bad guys wouldn't get ya!"

"You got that right, buddy!" Joe laughed.

Frank watched the little reunion, amazed at how quickly Jamie had taken to Joe. As Jamie released Joe and looked up, Frank heard a soft gasp and saw the boy's brilliant blue eyes widen. "Is that blood?!" He pointed to the sleeve of Joe's jacket.

' _Blood?'_ Frank felt a chill. _'The gunshots!'_

Frank took Joe's arm and turned it slightly so he could get a better look. He felt his heart start to race and looked into Joe's eyes. "You were shot," he said, almost accusingly.

Joe shrugged. "Well, yeah, sort of."

"Why didn't you say something?" Frank snapped. He dropped Joe's arm and walked over to the backpack lying against the wall.

"I just did." Joe grinned, looking at Jamie.

"Does it hurt?" the boy asked, blue eyes huge in his small face.

"Nah, I just got dinged."

"Off." Frank ordered, pointing at Joe's bloodstained jacket. He rummaged through the backpack and came up with a small first aid kit.

Joe complied, slipping out of the jacket. He saw Jamie's eyes grow even bigger at the small crease the bullet had made in his skin.

Moving towards his brother, Frank took one look at Joe's arm, with a very small trail of dried blood and cursed under his breath. "Damn it, Joe, that's more than a ding."

Jamie scooted back and snuggled against his older brother, suddenly afraid of the man with the dark eyes flashing in annoyance.

"Ease up, Frank!" Joe hissed, nodding at the two boys. "You're scaring them."

"I'm scaring them?" Frank glared at his brother. "How about the way you scared me? How was I going to explain to Dad how I came back with the two of them but lost you in the process?"

Joe grinned, throwing a wink at Jamie and his brother. "I'm sure you'd come up with something."

Ignoring the comment, Frank set to work cleaning and bandaging the wound on Joe's arm. "Make sure it stays clean." He packed everything back into the first aid kit and closed it up.

Joe looked into his eyes and Frank was certain he was going to come back with some sarcastic comment. Instead, Joe smiled at him and held his gaze. "I will. Thanks."

Frank nodded and returned the kit to his backpack. "We had something to eat while we were waiting for you."

"Don't tell me," Joe teased, "a granola bar and water." Frank turned just in time to see Joe rolling his eyes at Jamie who tried, unsuccessfully, not to giggle. Crawling over to the box of supplies, Joe began tossing things aside. "Let's see if they left us anything worth eating in here."

In seconds Jamie was at his side, helping Joe paw through the box until they each triumphantly held up a can of baked beans and hot dogs. "Now this is real food!"

"Well, since you uncovered it, you can cook it," Frank said.

Joe looked at Jamie and grinned. "I think he's challenging us. Whaddya say buddy? You up for it?"

Jamie scrambled to his feet, bouncing up and down. "You bet!" he exclaimed giving Joe a high five.

Leaving Joe and Jamie to cook 'dinner', Frank settled back against the hard rock wall and motioned for Ford to join him. They sat in silence for a few moments, watching their respective younger siblings take great delight in warming up the franks and beans.

"So you really know how to fly a plane?" Ford asked. "All by yourself?"

"Mm-hmm."

"What's it like?"

Frank pursed his lips and thought for a moment. He loved flying but was often hard pressed to explain why. "It's like being free. Completely and totally free. And it's peaceful. Especially when I'm by myself. No one can bother me. Sometimes I'll rent a plane and take it up, just because I want to think. I love the quiet and the solitude."

As if to reinforce those thoughts, Jamie's delighted squeal echoed through the cave followed by Joe's contagious laughter. Frank and Ford watched them for a moment before Ford posed another question.

"Do you like being a big brother?"

Frank smiled. "I love it."

"Really?"

Frank turned to his young counterpart and looked directly in his eyes. "Yeah, I really do. I'm not going to say there aren't times Joe drives me crazy; he does. But I wouldn't trade him for any other brother in the world." Frank tilted his head, feeling a sense of kinship with the boy. "How about you? What do you think about being the big brother?"

Ford stared at Jamie and smiled. "I love my brother. He's so much fun. He's always happy, he's always smiling, he loves just about everybody. He says exactly what he thinks. To him, every day is a brand new adventure." He stopped and looked back at Frank. "I like it. I like it a lot."

Frank studied the boy's face and saw something in his eyes. Sadness? Longing? He wasn't quite sure. "You like it a lot, but…" Frank tried to lead him, sensing Ford wanted to confide something, but wasn't sure he could.

"But…" Ford began, glancing at Jamie and then down at the floor. "But sometimes I wish I had a big brother of my own."

Frank reached out and put an arm around Ford, pulling him a little closer. The boy leaned against him, resting his head on Frank's shoulder. "There's nothing wrong with that. Being a big brother is hard work sometimes. It's a lot of responsibility. But I've been watching you and Jamie and you know what?"

Ford looked up.

"You're really good at it," Frank praised him. "Jamie looks up to you and that's good. Because from what I can see, you're a really good role model for him."

Ford blushed and ducked his head, pushing the wire-rimmed glasses up on his nose. He couldn't hide the smile that lit up his whole face. "Thanks."

Hearing Jamie's infectious giggle, Frank looked up and stared. Joe and Jamie were sitting cross-legged on the ground facing one another, each with a metal spoon from the 'mess kits' dangling off the end of their noses. As Jamie pointed at Joe and erupted in laughter, the movement caused the spoon to dislodge and fall to the ground.

"I win!" Joe crowed, removing the spoon from his nose.

"Let's do it again!" Jamie pleaded. "And don't make me laugh this time!"

Frank and Ford watched as round two got underway. "How old is he?" Ford asked leaning closer to Frank but never taking his eyes off Joe.

"He's supposed to be twenty-four," Frank replied dryly, "but sometimes I think he's still about six."

"Think he'll ever grow up?" Ford mused, watching as the two younger siblings enjoyed the simple game they were playing.

"Nah."

"Would you want him to?"

Frank stopped and thought about that for a long moment. Joe was impulsive, impetuous and free-spirited – three traits that often landed him in trouble. He wasn't above manipulating a situation to his advantage and yes, he was a little spoiled. He was also generous, fun loving and one of the happiest and most caring people Frank knew. Given the opportunity, Frank knew he wouldn't change a thing about his brother. "Nope, never."

…

A short time later, when dinner was consumed and the mess kits cleaned and returned to the backpacks, Frank suggested they get some sleep. He and Joe helped the two young boys get settled in between the thermal blankets, with Jamie fighting the idea every step of the way. After Joe had gotten him water, twice, and then taken him outside the cave after repeated cries of "I gotta go! Really bad!", Jamie finally began to settle down. Frank noticed the way Ford was able to calm his younger brother by listening to Jamie's rambling thoughts until the young boy could barely keep his eyes open. Jamie turned towards his older brother and curled up next to him. With a contented sigh, he drifted off to sleep.

"I'll take the first watch," Frank said to Joe. "You go ahead and get some sleep."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I think you had a rougher night than I did."

Joe grinned and stretched his arms overhead. "I don't know, bro. Seems to me it'd be a lot more tiring keeping two little kids entertained than dodging bullets."

Frank chuckled. "Jamie's a handful, but Ford doesn't seem to have any problem handling him."

"Must be that big brother gene," Joe teased. He crawled over to the blanket laid out next to the sleeping youngsters. "Don't forget to wake me up."

Frank settled himself near the front of the cave, peering out into the darkness and listening to the sounds of the night creatures in the woods. Glancing back at Joe and the two boys, he did a double take and grinned. Jamie had rolled over and snuggled up to Joe, practically lying on top of him, a smile on his face even as he slept. Turning back towards the cave entrance, a vague memory flashed through Frank's mind – the first camping trip Fenton had taken them on. Joe had been beside himself with excitement all day but when night fell and it came time to sleep, the sounds of nature had turned frightening. He'd crawled into Frank's sleeping bag afraid and trembling. Frank hadn't said a word. He'd simply whispered soothing words of comfort until Joe fell asleep. And that was exactly how Fenton had found them the following morning. Leaning his head back, Frank let the happy memories of his childhood keep him company as he settled in for the first watch.


	5. Chapter 5

Thank you all so much for all the reviews! You make my day. And thank you to Book Fan Girl for the heads up about the disappearing page breaks!

 **Chapter 5**

Frank was roused by the soft beep of the alarm on his watch. Rubbing his eyes, Frank sat up and gazed around the cave. Ford and Jamie were still asleep beside him, Jamie hopelessly tangled in the thermal blanket and lying half on top of his older brother. Grinning at the memories that scene brought to mind Frank instinctively sought out his own brother. Looking towards the front of the cave, he could make out Joe's silhouette by the very dim light of the fire. Glancing out the small opening, he could see the sun hadn't yet risen but the shades of gray, rather than the inky darkness, told him dawn would soon break. Frank moved quietly to Joe's side and sat down.

"Hey," Joe greeted him. "Sleep okay?"

"Felt like I was sleeping on the cold, hard ground."

"Gee, what a coincidence…you were," Joe elbowed him.

Frank reached out and took Joe's arm. "Let me check that wound before the boys wake up."

"It's fine, Frank. You said keep it clean and I did. No rolling around in the dirt, no mud wrestling…"

Frank looked Joe in the eyes and said one word. "Infection."

Joe stared back at him and Frank wondered if the memories that washed over him were just as vivid for Joe, too. That question was answered when Joe silently nodded and allowed Frank to clean the wound and change the bandage. When he was finished, Frank returned the first aid kit to his pack and pulled out a map of the area with the route they planned to take that day clearly marked.

"It's pretty heavily wooded. Rough terrain and some steep inclines. We can't be late getting to the rendezvous point," Frank murmured, glancing at the still sleeping boys. "How long do you think that fake trail you left will keep those guys occupied?"

"I'm not sure. Depends on how good they are at tracking I guess. Of course, they wouldn't have been able to track much in the dark. Even if they went a little further into the woods once they found the bloody piece of shirt I threw, there wasn't much to follow after that." Joe shrugged. "I made sure I didn't leave any tracks once I crossed over to the other side of the stream, though."

Frank frowned. "Wish I could say the same thing. I didn't have time to cover our tracks last night and dragging two kids behind me… We probably left a trail a mile wide." He shook his head disgustedly. "If only the security patrol hadn't come back early last night. They never even would have known the kids were missing until this morning. We could've had a major head start on them."

"But we don't, and you know what? It's not the end of the world."

Frank knew what Joe was trying to do and he appreciated it. Frank had a tendency to beat himself up when his best laid plans didn't go exactly the way he wanted them to. Even when things were totally out of his control, as they had been the previous evening, Frank thought he should have been able to find a way to make it work, no matter what fate dictated. He smiled then, reminded of why he and Joe were such a formidable team. While Frank thrived on logic and planning everything down to the minutest detail, when things went awry Joe's ability to think on the fly and improvise on a moment's notice always seemed to cover whatever holes were punched in Frank's plans.

"You came up with a great plan and it almost came off without a hitch," Joe tried to continue. "Logically they'll probably—"

"Wait a minute," Frank interrupted with a grin. "Since when did you start thinking logically?"

Joe wrinkled his nose before replying. "I didn't say I was thinking logically, I said they would think logically."

"Good. You had me worried for a minute there."

Joe rolled his eyes. "Are you done yet?"

Frank smiled. "Yeah. For now."

"Logically, they'll go back and try to pick up my trail as soon as it's light out. That will still give us a good head start on them. Who knows how long it'll take for them to figure out they were set up?"

Frank nodded, feeling a bit better about the situation. "You're right. Still, I'll feel better if we get started as soon as possible. If they have trouble keeping pace…" he nodded towards Ford and Jamie.

"Then we'll help them. Don't worry so much. They'll think it's the best adventure they ever had."

" _To him, every day is a brand new adventure_." Frank heard Ford's voice echoing in his head. He glanced at Joe. _'Just like you.'_

"Here, have some breakfast." Frank tossed Joe two breakfast bars and some water.

They ate in comfortable silence and then quietly packed up their gear. While Joe set about extinguishing the campfire, Frank went to wake the sleeping boys.

"Ford, time to get up." He gently shaking the older child.

Ford's eyes popped open almost immediately. He gazed around, disoriented and squinting. Frank smiled, picked up Ford's glasses and handed them to him. "Here you go."

"Thanks." Ford murmured. He slipped the glasses on. Frank watched, amused, as Ford tried to push himself to a sitting position, unable to do so as Jamie was stretched out, arms and legs askew, on top of Ford.

"Jamie." Ford shook his brother's shoulder. There was no response. "Jamie, come on. You have to get up now."

Jamie shoved Ford's hand away, mumbled something unintelligible and rolled over, snuggling deeper into the blanket. Ford sighed and reached out, shaking Jamie harder this time. "Jamie, we need to get going."

"No!" Jamie snapped. "I wanna sleep!"

Frank glanced over his shoulder at Joe and shook his head at the eerie similarities. He tried not to laugh as he watched Ford tugging on the blanket, trying to coax his younger brother into getting up, with Jamie fighting him every step of the way. _'Wonder if I should tell him it only gets worse as the years progress?'_ he thought, looking at his young counterpart. Recalling the 'reverse psychology' his parents would use on Joe at that age, and how it usually worked like a char, Frank reached out and touched Ford's arm, winking when Ford looked at him.

"We have to leave in fifteen minutes and we're on a pretty tight schedule so we can't be late." Frank spoke to Ford, watching Jamie out of the corner of his eye. He saw a tuft of blonde hair and one blue eye peeking out from under the blanket. "If he's not up by then, I guess we'll have no choice but to leave him here."

Jamie was up like a shot, wide awake. With his hair sticking out in several different directions, hands on his hips and a scowl on his face, the little boy glared at Frank. "Hey! You can't leave me here!" He stamped one foot for good measure. Rushing forward, he looked Frank dead in the eye. "Besides, Joe wouldn't let you leave without me!" he said defiantly, as if challenging Frank to dispute him. Without missing a beat, the child brushed right past him and made a beeline for Joe.

' _Joe wouldn't let me?'_ Frank turned and looked over his shoulder. He saw Joe talking to Jamie with Jamie hanging on his every word. Shaking his head, Frank looked back at Ford. "How about some breakfast?"

The two elder siblings joined their younger brothers near the front of the cave where Frank offered a breakfast bar to both Ford and Jamie. As he had the night before, Ford accepted his with a gracious thank you. Jamie, however, scowled at Frank's outstretched hand and then looked at Joe.

"Got any chocolate?" he asked hopefully.

Frank wasn't the least bit surprised when Joe dug into his pack and pulled out several different brands of chocolate bars for Jamie to choose from. Jamie's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree but quickly dimmed at Joe's caveat.

"You can pick whichever one you want – after you have a protein bar and some water." Jamie wrinkled his nose at Joe and pouted silently. "Don't bother, it won't work on me," Joe chuckled. "I've been using that trick to get my own way longer than you've been alive, buddy."

Frank smiled and nodded at his brother. He watched as Jamie pouted for another minute or so, testing to see if Joe would break, but the younger Hardy held firm, tucking the chocolate bars back in his pack and placing a protein bar and plastic bottle of water on the ground at Jamie's feet.

A short time later, after breakfast was consumed and they made sure all evidence of their stay was gone, the foursome left the cave to begin the long hike to the spot where they would make camp that night. Frank and Ford took the lead with Joe and Jamie following behind them.

As they walked, Joe covered any obvious tracks they left behind using branches, leaves and other items Mother Nature helpfully supplied. Periodically glancing back at them, Frank noticed Jamie watching Joe's every move, utterly enthralled. He silently predicted it wouldn't take long for Jamie to inquire about what Joe was doing. It was less than a moment later when he heard the small boy's voice.

"What're you doin'?"

"I'm covering our tracks so if the bad guys figure out which way we went, they'll still have a hard time finding us," Joe explained.

Stealing another peek over his shoulder, Frank smiled when Jamie looked up at Joe in awe.

"Wow, you're just like those brother detectives in the old books Dad reads to me!"

Seeing the utter hero worship on Jamie's face and the huge grin on Joe's, Frank laughed softly to himself. "Hey, Joe, those brothers are over seventy-five years old. You sure you want to be compared to someone that old?"

"They are not!" Jamie cried out, defensively. "They're teenagers! It says so right in the books!"

Joe grinned. "He's got ya there, Frank."

Shaking his head with a smile, Frank thought fondly about the collection of books he had stored in his attic at home. He recalled the many nights he and Joe, as small boys, sat on the couch on either side of their father as Fenton read from those old books. Even when they were old enough to read the books themselves, Joe still preferred to listen as Frank read them, acting out the characters, changing his voice for each one and bringing the plots to life. A smile curved his lips at the thought that Ford and Jamie were having the same kind of carefree childhood he and Joe had enjoyed. He glanced at the dark-haired boy walking beside him. ' _Hopefully that won't change once they're relocated.'_

They continued on for another hour or so in relative silence, when Frank noticed a small clearing just ahead of them. He swung the backpack onto his arm and unzipped the front pocket, sticking his hand inside. Pulling out a small hand held gadget, no bigger than a cell phone, Frank turned it on.

"What's that?" Ford asked inquisitively.

"It's a GPS." Frank held it so Ford could get a better view.

"Global positioning system," the boy murmured, studying the device intently.

"That's right."

Ford looked up at him, blushing slightly, and shrugged. "I read a lot. I like to learn new things."

Franks smiled. "So do I."

"How does it work exactly? I mean I know it uses satellites but…" Ford's voice trailed off.

"You're right, it does use satellites. Basically the GPS receiver's job is to locate at least three satellites, figure out the distance to each one and then use that information to figure out its own location."

"How?" Ford pressed, all his attention focused on Frank.

"Well, first the receiver figures out the distance between us and at least three satellites above us. It does that by analyzing high-frequency, low-power radio signals from the GPS satellites. Since radio waves travel at the speed of light…"

"About 186,000 miles per second," Ford blurted out.

"That's right!" Frank was impressed at how intelligent the ten-year-old was. "So the receiver can figure out how far the signal has traveled by timing how long it took the signal to arrive. Then it uses an internal almanac to account for any inaccuracies…"

"Like when the Earth's atmosphere slows down the electromagnetic energy?" Ford asked.

"Exactly like that." Frank patted Ford on the back, smiling when the boy beamed at the praise.

"So what are you using it for?" Ford pushed his glasses up.

"I downloaded a map of this area into the receiver before we left. I also inputted our starting point, the cave, and our eventual destination – where we're going to be picked up. Since it has all that information, I can use it to make sure we haven't strayed off our planned route and that we're making good time." Frank watched as Ford absorbed his every word. "You want to hold it?"

Ford's eyes grew huge at Frank's offer. "Really?!"

"Sure. When we get to the clearing you can help me check the reading and make sure we're on course and on time. Okay?"

"You bet!"

True to his word, when they reached the clearing, Frank patiently walked Ford through the steps to get the information they needed from the GPS. He was pleased to see they were slightly ahead of schedule, allowing them all to take a brief rest.

When they resumed walking, Frank noticed that Ford seemed a little more relaxed. He continued chatting with the serious boy, hoping to get him to open up a little more. Frank sensed that Ford didn't confide in people easily and as a result isolated himself from those around him. Hearing Jamie chatting happily with Joe, he felt a twinge of sympathy for Ford. He himself had been the same way as a child and all through his teenage years, while Joe had been the complete opposite. As much as he loved his younger brother, Frank had always been just a little envious of the way Joe made friends so easily and had no trouble chatting up, and charming, total strangers. Glancing down at the dark-haired boy beside him, Frank wondered if he felt like the 'odd man out' as Frank so often had at that age.

"Can I ask you something?" Ford said softly, barely making eye contact.

"Sure."

"How long have you been a pilot?"

"I got my student pilot certificate when I was sixteen and my private pilot's license when I was seventeen."

Ford glanced up, his brown eyes alight with curiosity. "How long did it take? Did you have to study a lot? Was it hard?"

Frank grinned in anticipation of talking about one of his favorite subjects. He was also thrilled that Ford seemed to be opening up to him, as he'd started to feel a little protective of the older child.

"It took about six months to get my student pilot certificate. I guess some people would think it was hard; it was definitely a lot of studying. But I'm like you," Frank smiled and squeezed Ford's shoulder, "I love to learn."

"Did you have to go to a school?" Ford became more animated as Frank answered his questions.

"Well, I didn't, but that's the way most people do it. My Dad has a pilot on call, a friend of his. His name is Jack. Jack is the one who taught me how to fly."

"What exactly did you have to study?" Ford pushed the glasses up on his nose, his attention now totally riveted on Frank.

"Aerodynamics, airport operations, radio communications, aircraft systems, weather theory, weather reports, navigation, physiology, FAA regulations…" Frank chuckled softly as Ford's eyes widened in shock.

"Wow! You must be really smart!"

Frank reddened, and tried to deflect the praise. "It's really just a matter of wanting to learn it. I loved flying, everything about it, so I didn't really look at it as studying."

Ford's brow creased and he fell silent, thinking about Frank's words. A moment later, he looked up again. "When did you know you wanted to learn to fly?"

This time it was Frank who was silent, thinking back on one of his happiest childhood memories. "The first time I went up in a private plane was my seventh birthday. I don't remember exactly how I got so hooked on planes and flying. It just seems like I've always loved it. When my parents started asking me what I wanted for my birthday that year, I said I wanted to fly. So for my seventh birthday my dad took me up in a plane. Just me, him and the pilot." Frank's voice took on a nostalgic tone. He remembered that birthday vividly not only because it was his first trip in a small plane, but because it had been just him and Fenton.

Frank always loved being an older brother; he couldn't remember Joe ever not being around, but every once in a while – especially when he was young – he wanted some time alone, away from Joe. Frank was secretly pleased that Joe seemed to idolize him, but at times being the object of Joe's hero worship could wear thin. He'd never, ever said it out loud, but somehow his father knew, both his parents knew. And while Joe had pitched a fit that day, always wanting to do everything his big brother did, Fenton held fast, refusing to be swayed by Joe's tears and heart-wrenching pleas to accompany Frank and Fenton.

Frank and Fenton had spent most of the day together, riding in the plane, getting a private tour of the small airfield and going to the local museum to see a special exhibit on planes and flying, before returning home for a special birthday dinner that evening. That had always been the birthday that held a very special place in his heart. Smiling, Frank fingered the I.D. bracelet he wore on his right wrist, knowing only one other birthday meant as much to him as the day his father took him flying.

Frank smiled down at Ford. "So, what do you like to do?"

Before Ford could reply, a squeal of laughter split the late morning air. Slowing, Frank and Ford turned slightly to see what had caused Jamie's latest happy outburst. Frank stopped and stared.

Joe had a tiny green leaf stuck on his nose, looking like some kind of mutant unicorn, and was talking to Jamie as if everything was perfectly normal. Jamie was pointing at Joe, dissolving in continuous fits of giggles, and hopping around in delight.

"Put one on me! Put one on me!" Jamie cried out.

Joe pretended to be confused. "One what?"

Jamie jumped up and down in front of Joe, poking at his face. "One of those!"

Joe frowned as if he had no idea what Jamie was referring to. Slowly he raised a hand to his nose, touched the small green leaf and gasped. "How did that get there?!" He made a show of attempting to remove it but Jamie's loud protests stopped him

"No, no! Leave it on! But I want one, too! Put one on me! Please?! PLEASE?!"

"Well, I guess so." Joe searched the ground for just the right size leaf with an adequate amount of sap. Finding one he was happy with, Joe opened the small round end, peeling the leaves apart a quarter of an inch or so. Leaning down, he placed the exposed, sticky ends on Jamie's nose and pressed firmly.

Jamie reached up and touched the small leaf on his face, beside himself with delight. "LOOK! We're twins!" he cried out, jumping up and down excitedly.

Frank stared at Joe a moment longer, then shook his head. Turning around he and Ford continued walking in silence for almost a minute before Ford spoke quietly.

"My brother is only seven. What's your excuse?"


	6. Chapter 6

Thank you pooja, Sam, Joe's fan, meryl, mini, tinks, Srk, many, miley, butterbeer, IluvJoe, Viola, Walter, Six, PaulinaAnn, JoeNeal, VVK, Snow Parakeet, Erin Jordan, max, jamessmith, Cheryl and all the guests for your reviews. I appreciate them very much!

 **Chapter 6**

As the small group plodded along, Frank checked his watch. They'd gotten an early start and made good time. He glanced at Ford beside him and then back at Joe and Jamie who were several paces behind. They were still talking to each other, but it was no longer the non-stop chatter that had been in the background all morning. Noting the fast clip at which Jamie had to walk to keep up with Joe, Frank imperceptibly slowed his pace reminding himself the boy could only cover a small amount of ground in one step. He noted that Ford also seemed to be growing weary, although he gamely tried to keep up and decided they'd stop to rest shortly.

"So what do you like to do?" Frank asked Ford, trying to get the boy to open up.

"I take martial arts classes," Ford replied a little shyly.

"Really? Me, too! How long have you been studying?"

"Three years. I started when I was seven."

"What style?"

"Shotokan."

"Me, too," Frank said again, happy they had something in common. "What level belt are you?"

"Purple," Ford replied proudly.

"That's great." Frank patted him on the back. "Quite an accomplishment for someone your age."

Ford blushed, but grinned happily. "Thanks. What belt are you?"

"Second degree black belt."

Ford stared up at him in awe. "I'd like to be a black belt someday, but it'll take a really long time."

"You can do it, Ford. Just keep up with your classes, practice your katas and you'll be there before you know it."

Ford grew silent for a few minutes although it appeared to Frank he had something on his mind. It wasn't long before Ford looked up at him again.

"When we get to that safe house, will you and Joe be leaving right away?" he asked, tentatively.

"No, we'll be hanging around until your dad is done testifying."

Ford smiled then, his eyes lighting up. "If you'll be staying for a few days do you think…would it be okay…I mean, only if you want to but…do you think maybe we could practice together? I'm having a lot of trouble with one of the katas…" Ford's voice trailed off, and he quickly looked away as if he were imposing.

Frank put an arm loosely around the boy's shoulders. "I'd love to practice with you."

Ford moved a little closer, as if he craved the closeness of the elder Hardy. "I play baseball, too. On my Little League team. We went to the World Series two years ago!"

"Wow, that's pretty impressive. What position do you play?"

"I'm the pitcher. One of the starters."

Frank gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Guess what?" he said teasingly.

Ford stopped short and stared up at Frank, his brown eyes huge behind the wire-rimmed glasses. "No!" he gasped. "You played pitcher, too?"

Frank grinned. "I sure did. And Joe played first base."

"I hope Jamie and I can play on the same team some day. He just started though, so we're even in different leagues right now," Ford said wistfully.

"Maybe you will one day. Joe and I loved playing sports together; we still do." Frank slowed down, tugging on Ford's shoulder but keeping his arm in place. He'd noticed the way Ford had subconsciously reacted to his touch, even if the younger boy didn't. "What would you say to taking a break? I could use a little rest."

"Good idea," Ford agreed. "Jamie likes to think he's bigger than he really is. Even if he has a hard time keeping up, he'll never say anything." He glanced at his younger brother protectively.

"This looks like a good spot." Frank pointed several yards ahead, and then turned towards Joe. "You guys ready to take a break?"

"I don't know about him, but I'm dying here," Joe replied dramatically.

"Well, okay," Jamie said, grabbing Joe's hand. "If you need to stop, we'll wait for you."

"Gee, thanks." Joe grinned, winking at Frank.

"No problem," Jamie said sincerely. "How about right here." He plopped to the ground and pulled on Joe's hand, indicating he wanted Joe to sit next to him.

Joe settled himself up against a large tree trunk. Frank shrugged off his backpack and pulled out several bags of trail mix and handed them out. Jamie accepted his without comment but looked at it contemptuously. Slowly turning his head, he gazed up at Joe with wide blue eyes, lifting his eyebrows hopefully.

"Trail mix first, chocolate bar second," Joe replied to the unspoken question.

"Okay." Jamie agreed, much more readily than he had that morning.

The small group fell silent for the next several minutes as they hungrily ate their snack. Jamie scooted a little closer to Joe, pressing his leg up against Joe's. Glancing down at the tow-headed little boy, Joe nudged his leg playfully. Jamie giggled, nudging Joe's leg in return. Joe pushed Jamie's leg again, a little harder. Again Jamie pushed his leg up against Joe's, his giggles a little louder now. They continued pushing against each other, harder and harder with Jamie's exuberant laughter echoing around them, until Jamie realized he couldn't push nearly as hard as Joe could.

Jamie stopped pushing and looked up at Joe, mischief written all over his face. Suddenly he jumped on Joe's leg wrapping his arms around Joe's thigh, laughing gleefully. Joe pretended to struggle mightily for a few seconds, grunting and groaning loudly for effect, and then easily raised his leg off the ground, lifting Jamie into the air. Clutching Joe's leg, Jamie squealed with delight.

Frank watched, recalling his own childhood and remembering what it felt like to be so enthralled and amused by a simple game. "Hey, Jamie, how about you and Joe fill up the water bottles from that stream over there before we head out?"

Jamie tumbled off Joe and sat up, a thousand-watt smile on his face. "A stream?! Where?"

"Over there," Frank pointed. He tossed two water bottles to Joe. "Make sure he doesn't end up in the stream," he grinned.

"Will do," Joe smiled. He and Jamie walked the few yards to the small stream.

Coming up beside Frank, Ford stood and watched, a contemplative look on his face. "They have a lot in common," he remarked innocently.

"Mm-hmm," Frank replied automatically. Grabbing his backpack, Frank stopped suddenly, realizing the implication. _'My twenty-four-year-old brother is bonding with a seven-year old._ '

When Joe and Jamie returned a few moments later, the foursome resumed their trek. As he had when they first started out, Jamie was talking animatedly to Joe, seeming to have no problem keeping up. However, Frank soon noticed the conversation dwindled and then disappeared altogether as the terrain become much rougher. They'd barely been hiking for an hour when Joe glanced back at Frank, his expression asking _'Can we take another break?'_

Frank checked his watch and frowned. They weren't moving as quickly as they had been earlier, and he knew they couldn't afford to get behind schedule. The man who had kidnapped the Bingham boys controlled much of the area. He had many of the local townspeople on his payroll and possibly a few of the local police, too. The agents who were to pick them up at the rendezvous point had been adamant that Frank and Joe had to get the boys there on time or risk blowing the whole operation. Frank shook his head apologetically in response to Joe's unspoken question.

They had walked only a few more minutes when Joe stopped. He shaded his eyes with his hand and squinted, as if he were looking for something off in the distance. Jamie moved closer to him.

"What's the matter?" he asked in a hushed whisper, staring up at Joe worriedly.

"I can't see far enough ahead." Joe appeared to be lost in thought for a moment. "Hey, think you could do me a big favor?"

Jamie's eyes grew huge. "Sure!"

"Would you mind riding on my shoulders for a while? You'll be able to see what I can't. You can be our lookout!"

Jamie gasped, doing the now familiar foot hop he couldn't contain when he was excited. "Me? The lookout?!" He practically squeaked, he was so excited at the prospect of assisting his hero.

"Yup. It's a really important job," Joe said solemnly. "Think you can handle it?"

Jamie let out another short gasp. "You bet!" He tugged and pulled on Joe's arm.

Joe dropped to his knees. Jamie scrambled up his back and swung his legs over Joe's shoulders. Joe stood up making sure Jamie was securely in place.

"Ready?"

"Ready!" Jamie called out happily.

Joe resumed walking as Ford and Frank fell in step behind. Frank was silently congratulating Joe on his handling of the situation when Ford's quiet voice interrupted his thoughts.

"I like your brother," he murmured.

Frank smiled, feeling a sudden rush of pride. "So do I."

Joe gathered up the last of the wrappers and stuffed them into a side pocket of his backpack. The foursome had hiked for almost another two hours before stopping for lunch. Jamie seemed to have regained much of his enthusiasm and was now exploring the area where they had stopped, naturally pushing the boundaries. Joe couldn't help but smile, reminded of himself as a small boy. No matter how many times his father told him "That's far enough," Joe always had to take just one more step.

"Hey, come on back here, big guy," Joe called out, as Jamie tested the limits of authority. _'How did Dad put up with me all those years without killing me?'_ Joe wondered, a newfound respect for the task of parenting beginning to take shape.

Jamie glanced over his shoulder looking at Joe impishly, contemplating taking another step. Suddenly the bushes a few yards in front of Jamie began to rustle. Immediately Frank and Joe looked at each other – neither of them had heard anyone approaching. Momentarily distracted, they didn't see Jamie take off for the bushes, rushing to investigate the source of the sound. An angry snarl broke the silence and grabbed their attention. Turning towards the sound, the brothers saw Jamie frozen in place, whimpering, as he stared into the face of a very angry cougar.

Joe sucked in a breath and time seemed to stop. For a few seconds no one moved. Ford seemed to recover first and instinctively took a step towards his younger brother. Joe kept his gaze locked on Jamie but out of the corner of his eye, he saw Frank grab Ford's jacket and pull him to a halt. Ford turned and glared at Frank, who motioned for him to be still and remain silent.

The cougar snapped its tail angrily and let out another irritated growl, yellow eyes still focused completely on Jamie. Frank's mind whirred, trying to figure out how to get Jamie out of harm's way without causing the cat to attack, when he saw Joe slowly moving away from them.

"What are you doing?!" Frank hissed.

"Got it covered," Joe replied in a low voice, subtly motioning for Frank to take his pack, which was lying on the ground near Frank. "When he strikes, grab the kids and run."

"When he strikes?" Frank's voice rose slightly. "Strikes what?" Frank took his eyes off the big cat for a second and glanced at his brother. A chill swept through him. _'Or who!'_ Joe was taking baby steps sideways, away from Frank and the two boys. "What the hell are you doing?"

Joe didn't respond, now totally focused on his mission. ' _Almost there.'_ His eyes flicked to the dead squirrel carcass a few feet away. The cougar also eyed the carcass before refocusing on the one thing standing between it and lunch – Jamie.

The cougar's tail swished as it snarled again, unhappy that Joe was moving in on its quarry.

' _One more step.'_ Joe was relieved to see the cougar was now watching him intently, no longer interested in Jamie. "NOW!" Joe yelled. He heard a child's cry, followed by running feet and Frank's voice urging the two boys to hurry.

His hand flashed out and grabbed the dead squirrel. In one fluid movement, Joe flung it as far as he could in the direction they had just come from, and dropped to the ground. He felt a 'whoosh' of displaced air just above him. The powerful animal's tail brushed against Joe's back as it launched itself over him, determined to retrieve its reward. Joe flattened himself against the ground, suddenly noting how quiet it was.

With his heart pounding wildly in his chest, Joe cautiously lifted his head. Glancing to his left, he saw the cougar tearing into its hard-won meal. It stopped and raised its head, locking eyes with Joe. The animal let out a low, warning growl and then returned its full attention to what was left of the squirrel.

"Okay, okay, I'm leaving." Joe pushed himself to his feet and brushed the dirt off his jeans. A slow smile spread across his face. _'That was kinda fun!'_

With a backward glance at the cougar, he headed off in the direction he'd last seen Frank, quite pleased with his spur-of-the-moment plan. He soon caught sight of Frank and the boys, with Jamie being the first to notice his approach. The little boy didn't say a word; he took a running start and literally threw himself into Joe's arms.

"Whoa!" Joe cried out as he caught the flying bundle. "Easy, buddy! What's wrong?"

"I-I th-thought the c-c-cougar got you!" Jamie hiccupped, hugging Joe tightly.

' _Uh-oh.'_ Joe hadn't thought much past getting the cougar's attention off Jamie and onto himself. Joe was starting to realize that being a hero to a small boy was more than just basking in the glow of a child's unwavering praise, and that having the child fear he'd been mauled to death by a cougar was definitely not one of his shining moments. _'Guess I should've been paying a little more attention to Frank all these years.'_ He wondered how Frank seemed to pull off being his role model so effortlessly.

"Hey, I'm okay." Joe held the little boy tightly. A moment later, Jamie loosened his grip and lifted his head. He looked at Joe with a tear-stained face. "I'm not crying," he announced as Joe gently wiped his cheeks. "Only babies cry and I'm not a baby."

"Of course you're not."

Jamie stared at him for a moment then impulsively kissed his cheek and threw his arms around Joe's neck once more. "I'm glad you're not dead!"

"Me, too," Joe laughed. He coaxed the little boy to the ground. Looking up, Joe saw Frank stalking towards him and gave serious thought to scooping Jamie back up in his arms and using him as a human shield. _'Frank wouldn't kill the poor kid just to get to me…would he?'_ Taking note of the murderous look in his brother's eyes, Joe suddenly wasn't so sure. He decided to go for a preemptive strike.

"Hey, bro!" Joe grinned. "Told you I had it covered!"

Frank came to a stop, less than six inches from Joe. "You had it covered? You had it _covered_?! Did it occur to you that cat could have killed you?!"

Joe shrugged sheepishly. "Uh… not really."

Frank inched a little closer, the look on his face telling Joe he was furious. Frank opened his mouth to speak, but never got the chance.

"Hey! Hey! Back up!"

Joe looked down and choked on the laughter in his throat. In an apparent effort to protect Joe from his enraged brother, Jamie had both hands on Frank's legs and was pushing for all he was worth, trying ineffectually to push the elder Hardy back a few steps.

Frank stared at the small boy for a few seconds in disbelief and then backed off, catching Jamie as he tumbled forward. "Look, Jamie, can you go sit with Ford for a minute? I need to talk to Joe."

Jamie crossed his arms over his chest, scowled up at Frank and shook his head. "Uh-uh."

Frank was stunned. "What?"

"Uh-uh. No way." He took a step backwards so he was now pressed up against Joe's legs. "You're gonna hit him."

Frank's eyes grew wide at the accusation. "I am not!" he exclaimed defensively.

"Are too," Jamie glared.

"Am not!" Frank threw up his hands, exasperated. "I can't believe I'm doing this!" He took a deep breath and looked down at the child who was determined to protect Joe at all costs. "Jamie, he's my brother. I am not going to hit him."

"Do you love him?"

"Yes, I love him. He's my brother," Frank repeated for emphasis.

"Are you glad he's not dead?" Jamie stared Frank down.

"Oh, for…of course I'm glad he's not dead!

"Well you sure don't act like it," Jamie pointed out. "Mom says if you love somebody and you're glad they're here you should give them a big hug and tell them how happy you are that they're with you. Especially if they're family, 'cause we always take our family for granted. That's what Mom says." He stopped and looked at Frank expectantly. "Well?"

Joe had been proud of his self-control as he watched Frank being chewed out by a seven-year-old, but when Frank looked up and stared at him, Joe snickered.

"Joe," Frank began, sounding as if he had to forcibly pull the words from his mouth. "I'm very happy you're still here with us." With something that sounded like a growl, Frank turned on his heel and stalked away.

"Hey!" Joe cried out, unable to resist. "Where's my hug?"

Frank stopped mid-stride and Joe thought he could actually see smoke coming out of Frank's ears. "Oops." He wondered if Frank might really come back and hit him. But after another moment of very strained silence, Frank continued on, nudged Ford on the shoulder and kept right on walking.

"Ya know, he's not too good at this big brother stuff," Jamie observed, disappointed in the elder Hardy. He reached up as far as he could and patted Joe on the back. "Don't worry, though. Ford is a great big brother. I'll ask him to give Frank a few pointers, okay?"


	7. Chapter 7

Sorry for the delay! My best friend is visiting from L.A. so been spending time with her. Thank you to everyone who reviewed and all those who are reading. I'm very glad you are enjoying the humor!

 **Chapter 7**

The rest of the afternoon had passed quickly and uneventfully, with the foursome arriving at the second pre-arranged location ahead of schedule. Joe had immediately taken Jamie down to the nearby stream to wash up. There seemed to be more dirt on Jamie than there was on the ground. Ford had followed them, while Frank sat down just outside the makeshift shelter that would be their home for the night, deciding to rest and enjoy the scenery for a few minutes before setting up camp.

It was only a few moments later when Ford settled himself down next to Frank. "Don't you want to join them?" Frank gestured to Joe and Jamie who were laughing and splashing in the small stream, doing a lot more playing than washing. "They look like they're having fun."

Ford shrugged self-consciously. "I washed up. That's all I needed to do." They fell into a comfortable silence, although Frank didn't miss the way Ford was nervously playing with a blade of grass, trying to surreptitiously glance at Frank every so often. "So," Ford began, hesitatingly, "are you and Joe like…friends?"

Frank looked at him, surprised.

"I mean you're brothers, but not all brothers and sisters really like each other," Ford observed sagely.

Frank thought about that and suddenly found himself getting a bit misty, realizing just how true those words were. Growing up, he'd known a lot of kids who merely tolerated their siblings, and a few who could barely stand each other. Even among their close circle of friends, he and Joe were always the exception. He wondered if maybe that was why, although they had a large number of acquaintances and casual friends throughout their school years, they usually kept to the same small group of very close friends. Those close friends accepted Frank and Joe as something of a package deal, not trying to exclude one or the other as some other would-be friends had done.

"Are you friends, too?" Ford repeated, uncertainly.

"Yeah, we are friends." Frank's gaze drifted to the stream where Joe was showing Jamie how to skip stones across the water. "Best friends." He watched as Joe expertly flicked his wrist and the stone easily skimmed across the top of the water. _'I taught him how to do that.'_

Ford followed Frank's gaze to their younger siblings and smiled. "We are, too. Well, for now anyway. He still loves tagging along with me and doing everything I do. Right now he thinks I'm the smartest person in the world – he thinks I know everything." Ford stopped for a moment and when he resumed speaking, his voice had dropped. "I'm afraid one day he'll realize I'm really not all that much fun and won't want to spend time with me anymore."

The words cut Frank like a knife. As far back as Frank could remember, Joe always had a touch of hero worship for him and Frank loved it. When they were small Joe used to follow Frank everywhere, wanting to do everything he did and Frank always indulged him. He felt a sadness weighing on him as he recalled the year Joe started school.

Joe was naturally outgoing, always happy and had a smile for everyone. His ability to charm anyone even at that young age, had kids fighting over who got to be Joe's friend. Even the teachers, staff and administrators had been charmed by the youngest Hardy's irrepressible personality. Quiet and studious, Frank was just the opposite of his gregarious brother and as Joe's popularity grew, Frank's biggest fear was that Joe would no longer look up to him, no longer come to him for help and advice, no longer want him around.

Frank shook his head as if that would oust the haunting memories that had tormented him as a child and periodically resurfaced during his teens. He reminded himself that fear had never materialized. If anything, Joe looked up to him even more the older they got. As time passed their friendship grew and turned into the deep and unbreakable bond they now shared. Looking at Ford once more he realized these sudden melancholy feelings were not for himself, but for the young boy beside him.

While he'd kept it to himself, the thought that Joe would drift away from him as they matured had haunted Frank for years and he saw that same haunted look in Ford's eyes right now. His first instinct was to try and brush those fears aside but Frank knew that despite his young age, Ford would know if Frank was trying to humor him. And he remembered how he'd felt when, at twelve years of age, he'd mentioned his deepest fears to his Aunt Gertrude. In a misguided effort to comfort Frank she brushed them aside, assuring him Joe adored him and would never cast him aside for the 'in' crowd. She'd been right of course, but Frank often wished she'd delivered the message in a much different way. Looking at the sad boy beside him, Frank thought carefully about his words before finally speaking.

"Well, you know he probably will make more friends as he grows up. Kids he meets in school or on sports teams who share the same interests he does." Frank reached down and gently nudged Ford so the child was looking at him. "But just remember, you'll always be his big brother. That's something no one can take away from you."

Frank had noticed Ford always gave serious thought to what others said before speaking himself, so it didn't surprise Frank when Ford remained silent for a moment. "You and Joe - do you have other friends? Like your own friends? Separate from each other?"

"We sure do. We have a group of really close friends – we all went to school together – but I'm closer to a few of them and Joe is closer to some of the others." Frank smiled as Ford pulled his knees up to his chest and scooted a little closer to Frank, a silent request for Frank to continue. "Out of all of them, I'm probably closer to Chet and Phil and Joe is closer to Biff and Tony. Chet was one of the first kids I met when we moved to Bayport so we've known him the longest. He grew up on a farm outside of town. I used to love going there to play and eventually Joe started coming along, too.

"Out of all of them, Phil is probably my closest friend. We have a lot in common. He's a computer whiz. He already owns his own company. We were on the chess team in high school and the debate team, too. A couple years we ran cross country together." Watching Ford grow more enthralled and less melancholy as he spoke, Frank went on telling the boy about his and Joe's childhood friends.

"Biff and Tony had more in common with Joe than me. Tony's family owns the pizza place where we all used to hang out after school. Biff and Joe have been best friends since grade school. They're almost like carbon copies of each other." Frank stopped when Ford gasped and then laughed out loud. "Yeah, scary thought, isn't it? They love all the same kinds of things – mostly just having fun. They like sports, cars, motorcycles, girls…" Frank stopped, not having intended to relate quite that much, and rapidly moved on. "They played football together all during high school."

"Did you play too?"

"I was the quarterback. Joe and Biff were my best receivers. Chet played too, on defense." Frank smiled, thinking back on the three state championships Bayport won while the four of them were on the team. "And all of us, Phil and Tony included, were on the baseball team."

Ford wrinkled his brow, now deep in thought. "So, you were all friends, but you each still had your own friends; and you and Joe were best friends." Ford rephrased what he thought Frank had said.

"And we still are. All the guys still live in Bayport and we all still get together and do things or just hang out."

"So even though you and Joe have different interests and different friends sometimes, you still like each other the best."

"Exactly."

Ford settled back then, returning his gaze to Joe and Jamie who were now engaged in a stone-skipping contest by the stream. He watched them for a few minutes and Frank saw his expression change to one of understanding and then a sort of peaceful contentment. Frank felt a rush of relief and satisfaction for the little boy. _'He gets it._ ' He hoped Ford would remember this talk in the coming years, knowing from painful experience that the fears of losing his little brother would periodically resurface.

Eventually Joe and Jamie returned to the little camp and took charge of making dinner, while Frank cleaned up by the stream, with Ford tagging along for company. Once dinner was consumed and everything cleaned up, the little group settled into their 'home' for the night. Frank and Ford were playing cards. Joe poked at the fire restlessly, while Jamie sat nearby, fidgeting more with each passing second.

Grabbing his jacket, Jamie reached into a pocket and pulled out a small, hand held video game. His fingers hovered over the power button as he glanced at his older brother, arching an eyebrow in a silent request for permission. Frank watched the exchange, hiding an amused smile, as his small counterpart nodded once at his little brother. As soon as the game "beeped" to life, Joe was at the little boy's side, looking over his shoulder.

"Hey, which one is it?" Joe asked excitedly. Frank could swear he saw his brother's eyes gleaming in the soft light of the fire.

Jamie held the game up so Joe could see it clearly. "Gundam Wing," he said seriously. "Wanna play?"

Frank laughed out loud at the question. Joe glared at him in return.

"You bet!" Joe reached for the game, ignoring his brother's laughter. "I'll fly Deathscythe©."

Jamie suddenly pulled the game out of Joe's reach, clutching it to his chest, his little blue eyes reflecting horror and disbelief.

"Uh-oh," Ford murmured.

"Not good, huh?" Frank asked in an undertone.

"Definitely not good. Jamie won't play if he can't fly Deathscythe. And he won't let anyone else play either."

"We could have a stand-off here." Frank noted the look on Joe's face. His brother obviously had his heart set on flying Deathscythe, whatever that was.

"I am Shinigami©," Jamie told Joe reverently.

Joe pouted. "I can't be the God of Death?"

"No." Jamie shook his head seriously. "But I'll let you fly Wing Zero©."

Joe's pout deepened as he considered the offer. Chet and Biff always gave in to that pout and let him fly Deathscythe© whenever they played Gundam Wing©.

Frank cleared his throat capturing Joe's attention, giving his brother a look that said, _"It's his game – play nice!"_

After throwing Frank a dirty look, Joe turned back to Jamie and sighed heavily. "Fine. If I can't be the God of Death, I guess the Perfect Soldier will have to do."

Satisfied that the two younger siblings could indeed 'play nice', Frank refocused on the cards in his hand. Ford had been a worthy opponent, already beating Frank several times.

The foursome had passed a significant amount of time engaged in their distractions, when Frank realized how late it was getting and suggested they start getting ready to turn in. Exhausted by the day's exciting yet tiring events, Jamie didn't put up nearly as much of a fuss as he had the previous night.

While Frank and Ford laid out the thermal blankets, Joe scooted over to a corner out of their way. Digging into the side pocket of his backpack, he pulled out a laminated wallet size photo of Vanessa he kept there. _'God, I miss you._ '

Jamie peered over Joe's shoulder. "Who's that? Your sister?"

Joe smiled. "No, this is Vanessa – my fiancée."

Jamie looked at him, puzzled. "Your fian…what?"

"Fiancée," Joe repeated. "Sorta like my permanent girlfriend. We're gonna get married."

"You're getting _married_?" Jamie stared at him in wide-eyed disbelief. "To a GIRL?!"

"Uh, well, yeah, I was kinda planning on it. Why? You don't think it's a good idea?"

"Girls are…are…girls!" Unable to find a word that adequately expressed his opinion of females, Jamie shuddered. "They're bossy and they cry a lot and they make googley eyes at you! Ewwww!" He sat down next to Joe and looked up at him earnestly. "You're not really gonna get married, are you?"

Recognizing the disapproval on the little boy's face, Joe realized he was about to take a major nosedive off the pedestal Jamie had put him on. Somewhere in the recesses of his childhood memories, Joe recalled feeling much the same way about girls at one time. But once he'd discovered how much fun they were he was hooked in a big way. Women in general, and Vanessa in particular, were his biggest weakness.

"Well? You haven't answered his question, Joe." Frank's voice, filled with amused sarcasm, echoed from somewhere behind Joe. "You're not really going to marry a girl are you?"

Sighing inwardly, Joe understood the tables were being turned, and Frank was going to make the most of it. "But she's not like other girls," Joe began, hoping to redeem himself.

"She's a girl!" Jamie scowled, disappointment creeping into his blue eyes.

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen." Frank grinned from ear to ear at Joe's predicament.

"She can shoot a bow and arrow." Joe ignored Frank and absurdly wondered why it was so important to him that this seven-year-old boy approve of Vanessa.

Jamie seemed slightly impressed. "Yeah?"

"Yup. Better than me. And she can ride a motorcycle, too," Joe continued, ignoring the intermittent snickering coming from his older brother. "And she's tall. Almost as tall as me." he added excitedly. ' _You're really grasping at straws now, Hardy!'_

Jamie looked at the picture again. "She's real pretty. Prettier than most girls. You like her a lot, huh?" Jamie questioned Joe solemnly.

"Yeah, I'm afraid so."

"Hey, did you give her a ring yet? Cause if not you could just tell her you changed your mind!" Jamie cried out, apparently thinking he'd found an 'out' for Joe.

Joe heard the snickers from behind him turning into soft snorts of laughter.

"Sorry, pal. I gave her the ring."

Jamie frowned. "Oh, that's too bad. Guess you have to go through with it." He stared at Joe for a moment as if trying to decide if he really wanted to say what he was thinking. It didn't take long for curiosity to get the better of him. Leaning close to Joe he whispered loudly, "You don't, you know, kiss her or anything, do you?"

Joe felt his face flush when Frank howled with laughter. "Cause you shouldn't you know. Girls have germs, lots of 'em. You could get real sick if you kissed her. When you get married, when the preacher gets to that part where he says you can kiss the bride just say 'No thanks.' But try not to act too excited. You don't want to hurt her feelings and make her cry."

Hearing a strange noise, Joe glanced over his shoulder against his better judgment. Frank was doubled over, laughing so hard he was gasping for breath. _'I am soooooo not going to live this down.'_ He turned back around and saw Jamie staring at him pitifully.

"You really blew it when you gave her the ring, ya know," Jamie reprimanded him slightly. "Maybe if you're lucky she'll change her mind and you won't have to go through with it."

Noting the silence, Joe turned and looked at Frank once more. He was laughing so hard he wasn't making a sound. "Shut up, Frank," Joe muttered. "You're gonna hurt yourself."


	8. Chapter 8

Thank you all so much for the reviews! I am thrilled that you are enjoying the story and especially that you 'get' the Bingham brothers. You made my day!

 **Chapter 8**

"This is going to be the hardest part," Frank murmured.

Joe, who'd had the second watch of the night, had awakened him a short time ago, allowing them time to go over their planned route for the day while letting the two boys sleep a little longer. They had eaten a quick breakfast of protein bars, dried fruit and water, cleaned up both themselves and their makeshift camp and were now looking over a map, their trail clearly marked in red.

Frank tapped a spot on the map gently. "This is the ravine they told us about. It's several miles long, too long for us to try and find a way around it."

"So how are we supposed to get across? Sprout wings and fly?" Joe asked sardonically.

Frank smiled at Joe's opinion of the federal agents they were working with. "The lead agent said they airlifted a plank and placed it across the gorge. It's heavy enough to support us but not so heavy that we can't dislodge it and drop it into the ravine once we're across."

"So we're supposed to run across on a plank?" Joe was incredulous. "With two kids in tow?"

Frank shrugged. "That's the best they could come up with on short notice."

Joe snorted. "Well, I don't have to like it." He rolled up the map and shoved it into Frank's backpack. "You sure there's no other way around? If we looked I bet we could find something else."

Frank shook his head despite agreeing with his brother. "We don't have time. We're on a tight schedule. Everything is timed down to the minute and if we're late getting to the rendezvous point they'll assume we didn't make it and leave without us. Then we really will be in trouble."

Joe wrinkled his nose. "I still don't like it, having to depend on them. I mean if they hadn't screwed up in the first place we wouldn't even be here."

"But we're here now and we've got a job to do. Besides they set up these two camps for us with no problem, just like they said they would." Standing, Frank gestured to the two sleeping boys. "We better get them up and get going. I'll feel better if we get there early."

Joe walked over to the Bingham brothers and knelt down between them. "Don't worry, everything's gone smoothly so far."

Frank arched an eyebrow. "Oh really? I seem to recall you getting shot."

"Dinged."

Frank rolled his eyes. "Dinged. And then there was that little episode with the cougar."

"It wasn't an episode." Joe gently shook Ford's shoulder. "Hey, Ford, time to get up." He turned back to Frank. "It was an adventure."

"An adventure," Frank repeated, digging through their supplies for protein bars and dried fruit for Ford and Jamie. "I'll be sure to put that in the final report. _Joe got dinged and had an adventure with a cougar_."

Joe ignored him, reached out and patted Jamie on the back. "Come on buddy, time to rise and shine."

Frank chuckled softly as Jamie whined for a moment and then muttered something unintelligible. He pulled the thermal blanket over his head and turned away from Joe curling into a ball. Joe sighed and reached for the edge of the blanket, giving it a gentle tug. "Jamie…partner…ya gotta get up now."

Frank made out the muffled "No!" that drifted out from under the blanket and grinned. "Sleep okay?" he asked Ford, who had already gotten up and was now sitting next to him on the ground.

"Mm-hmm," the dark haired boy replied, up but not fully awake yet.

"Jamie…. Buddy…come on, man," Joe begged. "We have to get going."

"No!" The single word was louder now and reverberated around them. "I wanna sleep!"

Joe sighed dramatically and turned towards Frank, catching him laughing softly. "You're enjoying this a little too much."

Frank grinned. "Now you know what it was like trying to wake you up."

"I was never this bad," Joe replied indignantly, returning his attention to Jamie.

"True." Frank waited until Joe glanced back at him triumphantly. "You were worse."

Joe graced him with another glare and then turned back to the uncooperative boy under the blanket. "Jamie…buddy…pal…" Joe tried again. "We gotta get going before the bad guys find us."

The thermal blanket slipped down a few inches and a pair of curious blue eyes stared out at Joe. "So? If they find us you could just shoot 'em."

Joe's eyes widened slightly _. 'He's been watching way too much TV!'_ "No, I couldn't – I wouldn't," Joe stated firmly.

"Why not? They're bad guys, aren't they?"

"Yeah, but—"

"And they kidnapped me and Ford!" Jamie said indignantly.

"But I can't—"

"And they shot you!" Jamie pointed out.

"Yes, they did—" Joe acknowledged.

"And they're still after us!"

"But—" Joe stuttered.

"So if they're bad guys and they kidnapped me and Ford and shot you and they're still after us, why can't you just shoot them back?"

By this time Jamie had thrown the blanket completely off and was sitting up, staring at Joe in earnest waiting for an answer. Joe opened his mouth to speak and quickly closed it, not quite sure how to answer. Jamie's rapid fire questions had thrown him off balance and he could see how it all made a strange kind of sense to a seven-year-old. Glancing over his shoulder, Joe threw his brother a look that plainly said _"Help!"_

In response Frank shook his head but smiled encouragingly at Joe. Apparently he had all the confidence in the world that his younger brother could handle the loaded question Jamie had lobbed at him.

' _And I want six of them?!'_ Joe asked himself, suddenly rethinking his adamant belief that having six children would be fun. _'Okay, you can do this. It's black and white, right and wrong, good and evil. No problem.'_ Joe took a deep breath and hoped he sounded more confident than he felt.

"Well, you're right when you say they're the bad guys, and they did shoot me, and they are still after us. But all those things are wrong, Jamie. And if it's wrong for the bad guys to shoot me, then it's just as wrong for me to shoot them. You know the difference between right and wrong, don't you?"

Jamie nodded. "Uh-huh, but if they do stuff that's wrong they should be punished. I always get punished when I do things I'm not supposed to."

"That's true. And they will be punished. You know your dad is going to testify against them in court, right?"

"Yeah," Jamie said warily.

"Do you know what that means?"

Jamie nodded briefly but then bit his lip and slowly shook his head no.

"Okay, it's like this," Joe began, now warming up to the task. "Laws are like rules, sorta like the rules your mom and dad ask you not to break. And when people break the law, like the bad guys are doing, they have to go to court. Court is where people go to find out what their punishment is going to be when they break the law.

"In court there are judges and juries, they're sorta like the moms and dads; they listen to what the bad guys did wrong, what rules they broke and then decide what kind of punishment they should get." Joe sat back, rather pleased with his explanation of the judicial system, primitive as it was. He let Jamie absorb everything he'd said and when the little boy looked as if he understood, Joe continued.

"Now, if it's wrong for the bad guys to shoot me, and we know that's wrong, then it's just as wrong for me to shoot the bad guys…right?" Joe asked, hopefully. "Shooting people is against the law; it's breaking the rules. And if I shot the bad guys just because they shot me, well I'd be breaking the rules too, and then I'd be just as wrong as they are."

Jamie frowned for a moment, apparently thinking very carefully about everything Joe had said. "So even though they shot you and did all those other bad things, if you shot them back then you'd be like a bad guy, too?"

"Yeah, I would. So you see why I can't just shoot them, right?"

Jamie's brow creased once more. He looked at Joe, apparently mulling everything over. "I think I get it. Just because bad people do bad things, doesn't mean good people can do it too. So just because they shot you, doesn't mean you can just shoot 'em back," Jamie rephrased what he thought Joe had said. "Even if they deserve it," he mumbled under his breath.

Joe chuckled. "Yeah, that's it." Looking over at Frank, Joe saw his older brother staring back at him with proud smile.

"So," Joe concluded his explanation, "when your dad testifies against these men in court, it means he'll tell the judge and the jury how they broke the rules. And then the jury can decide what kind of punishment they should get."

Jamie rose to his knees excitedly. "So my Dad is gonna make sure they get punished?"

"Yeah, something like that."

"But before he can do that, we have to get you guys home," Frank said.

"What're we waiting for?!" Jamie jumped to his feet. "C'mon, dude," he tugged on Joe's arm impatiently. "Let's go!"

Frank made one more visual sweep of their camp, making sure every shred of evidence they were there had been obliterated, and then turned to Joe. "Ready?"

"Yup, all set." Joe turned, looking for Jamie who had already wandered several feet away and was now hunkered down near some bushes watching a squirrel forage for breakfast. "Time to go, pal."

Jamie jumped up and sprinted the short distance to Joe's side. He grabbed Joe's hand and smiled excitedly.

Watching the exchange, Frank shook his head and grinned, once again feeling as if he were watching a scene from the past. _'That kid is so much like Joe was at that age, it's scary.'_ Putting a hand on Ford's shoulder, Frank led the small group into the woods.

As had happened the previous day, the two older brothers walked several paces ahead of their younger counterparts. Jamie had a tendency to slow down, wanting to explore anything and everything that caught his eye, once again reminding Frank of a very young Joe. Eventually Joe and Jamie caught up, although Jamie frequently lagged behind the others, trying to look in all directions at the same time. While Frank would normally encourage such interest and inquisitiveness in a child, they had a schedule to keep and a deadline that couldn't be missed. Wondering what might keep Jamie occupied without slowing them down, Frank hit upon an idea and grinned at the memories.

 _Sitting in the backseat of his father's sedan, ten-year-old Frank tried to concentrate on the book he was reading. He'd gotten several new books for his birthday a week earlier and looked_ _forward to reading them during the drive to the lakeside cabin where the Hardy family would be spending the next ten days. However, eight-year-old Joe was making the task increasingly difficult. They'd been on the road only a little over an hour but that was about fifty minutes too long for the blonde bundle of energy._

" _Are we there yet, Dad?" Joe asked, a hopeful note in his voice._

 _Frank glanced up from the page he was reading and saw his father exchange a weary look with his mother. It was the third time Joe had asked that question since leaving Bayport._

" _Not yet, Joe," Frank heard his father answer with a sigh._

" _How much longer?" Joe whined._

" _At least another hour, honey," their mother replied. Twisting in her seat so she could look Joe in the eye, she smiled. "Why don't you read one of the books you brought?"_

" _I can't," Joe stated. "I'm too excited. I just wanna be there already!" He moaned dramatically, fidgeting and tugging at the seat belt._

" _Try and be patient, sweetie. We'll be there soon."_

 _Frank saw his mother shrug at their father as she turned back towards the front._

" _That's what you said last time I asked." Joe pouted._

 _Feeling sorry for his younger brother, Frank put a bookmark in the page and closed the book, placing it on the seat between them. "Hey, Joe, wanna play the alphabet game?"_

 _Joe sat up in his seat and looked at Frank excitedly. "Really? I thought you wanted to read."_

" _I'm kinda tired of reading for now," Frank replied._ _'It's only a little white lie,' he thought to himself, knowing the simple game would keep Joe occupied at least for a while. "I pick the letter… G!"_

 _Joe scowled. "How come you always get to pick first?"_

Frank smiled at the memory hoping Jamie would find the game as fascinating as Joe used to. "Hey, what do you say we play the alphabet game?" Frank asked.

Joe looked at him, momentarily startled. When he smiled and his eyes took on a faraway look, Frank knew he was thinking about those same happy childhood memories.

"I wanna play! I wanna play!" Jamie cried out, hopping from one foot to the other. He suddenly stopped and stared at Frank. "What's the alphabet game?"

Frank grinned at Jamie's enthusiasm. "It's a game Joe and I used to play when we were kids. On long car trips, or plane rides, we'd play the game to pass the time."

"How do you play?" Jamie focused all his attention on Frank.

"I'll pick a letter of the alphabet and the first person who sees something that begins with that letter, gets to pick the next letter."

"How come you get to pick first?" Jamie challenged.

Momentarily stunned, Frank stared at the boy until Joe's snickering drew his attention. "Remind you of anybody?" Frank asked his brother wryly.

Joe gave Frank his most innocent look. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Yeah, right." It had never failed that every time he suggested they play the alphabet game and chose a letter, Joe's immediate response was always, _"Why do you get to pick first?"_

Smiling at Jamie, Frank said, "Anybody can pick the first letter, Jamie. Why don't you pick first?"

"Really?!" Jamie bounced excitedly.

"Sure, go ahead."

Jamie furrowed his brow, deep in concentration, while the others waited. After almost a full minute Joe reached out and ruffled the blonde child's hair.

"It's not that hard, pal," he teased. "Just pick a letter."

Jamie looked up at Joe, a mischievous smile lighting his face. "X!" he shouted.

"X?!" Joe repeated, incredulous but laughing.

Frank nudged Joe with his elbow. "I should've known. You always picked 'Q' or 'Z'."

Joe grinned. "Okay, 'X' it is."

Silence fell over the group as Frank, Joe and Ford scanned their surroundings as they walked, looking for anything that began with the letter x. Several minutes passed and Frank wondered if the game would come to a swift end. What could they possibly find out in the woods that began with the letter x? Just when Frank was about to suggest Jamie choose a different letter, Ford let out a gasp.

"Xenolith!" Ford pointed to a large rock just ahead of them.

"Xeno-what?!" Joe said, bewildered.

Frank laughed. "Xenolith. Good catch!" He patted Ford on the back.

"Thanks," Ford smiled, pleased at Frank's praise.

Joe frowned and looked at Jamie, not really expecting the small boy to know what xenolith meant. Jamie shrugged happily, not caring what the word meant.

"So one of you want to spill?" Joe finally requested. "What's a xenolith?"

Ford looked at Frank questioningly. "Go ahead, you're the one who found it," Frank encouraged.

"A xenolith is a rock fragment that's foreign to the mass where it occurs," Ford stated.

Joe stared at the boy for a moment and then looked at his brother and frowned again. "Right, right. That's what I thought," he mumbled.

Frank quickly looked away not wanting Joe to see his barely concealed laughter. While he wasn't laughing at his brother, he did find it somewhat amusing that Joe had no idea what Ford was talking about. "Okay, Ford, you get to pick the next letter."

Ford nodded and thought for a moment. "S."

All eyes quickly began to scan the trees, bushes, rocks and birds as they walked. With the letter 'X' out of the way, the game progressed rapidly. For the next hour, each of them took turns guessing correctly and throwing out a new letter, with both Frank and Joe making sure to periodically throw in a 'can't miss' letter for Jamie.

Watching the two young boys carefully, Frank noticed when Jamie once again started to lag behind. This time, though, he could tell it was from fatigue. Spotting a clearing up ahead he suggested they take a break. Upon reaching the clearing, he and Joe shrugged out of their backpacks. Watching Jamie and Ford sink to the ground, he knew he'd made the right call.

"Here you go, guys." Frank pulled four small plastic bottles of water out of his pack and passed them around.

Joe dug into his pack and emerged with four packages of trail mix and two chocolate bars. He handed a pack of trail mix and one of the chocolate bars to Jamie. "Trail mix first, then the chocolate."

"Okay." Jamie tore into the mix immediately.

Joe handed Frank and Ford each a pack of trail mix. "You guys want some chocolate, too? I've got more."

"No thanks." Frank was not at all surprised that his brother had come well prepared to feed his sweet tooth.

After Ford also politely declined the offer, a comfortable silence settled over the foursome as they rested and consumed their snacks. Several minutes later, Frank cocked his head to the side listening intently. Frowning he glanced at Joe and raised his eyebrows in a silent question. _'Did you hear something?'_

Joe nodded once indicating he'd heard something out of the ordinary, too, and then looked up at the cloudless blue sky. Watching Joe, something clicked and suddenly Frank realized what the sound was – a helicopter. Within seconds the sound grew deafeningly loud and suddenly a low-flying chopper was directly above them.

Frank jumped to his feet, startling Jamie who had been sitting next to him. As the chopper hovered, Frank cursed silently. They'd been spotted. Frank grabbed Jamie's arm and unceremoniously hauled the boy up.

"RUN!" He dragged Jamie into the cover of the trees. Chancing a glance over his shoulder, he saw Joe fleeing in the opposite direction pulling Ford along behind him. Gunshots rang out, echoing in the wilderness, as dirt flew up from the spot where they'd been sitting only seconds before.

Running deeper into the woods, Frank could only hope he met up with Joe before they got to the ravine – and that they all made it safely across before their pursuers found it. If they did, he knew they had an excellent chance of making it to the rendezvous point. If not…

' _That doesn't even bear thinking about.'_


	9. Chapter 9

Sorry for the delay. It's been a stressful week. But your reviews put a big smile on my face – THANK YOU!

 **Chapter 9**

Joe raced through the trees dragging Ford behind him, the sound of the helicopter reverberating overhead. A bullet ricocheted off a tree to Joe's left. Seconds later the dirt in front of him flew up as another hit the ground less than a foot away.

' _Crap! Do I have a freakin' target on my back?!'_ Another gunshot rang out and a tree branch fell right beside him, the leaves grazing his face. _'Geez, how can they see us through the trees?!'_

Clutching Ford's arm a little tighter, Joe made a sharp right turn, plunging into a much more heavily wooded area. He zigzagged through the trees, running as fast as possible, never letting up, even when Ford stumbled. He simply hauled the boy to his feet and kept going, muttering an apology.

Finally the sounds of the chopper and the gunshots began to fade. Still, Joe's mind was focused on one goal, making sure they were so deeply hidden among the trees the people in the helicopter couldn't possibly find them. He kept running at top speed, wanting as much distance, and cover, as possible between himself and Ford and those who wanted them dead. Still holding Ford's arm in an iron grip, he immediately felt it when the young boy began to slacken. Reminded that Ford couldn't possibly keep pace with him for any length of time Joe began to slow down to a fast walk.

As soon as they slowed, Ford tugged his arm away from Joe. Breathing heavily, he asked, "Don't you…think we should…stop and…get our b-bearings before…before we go any f-further?" Ford was panting, his words coming out in ragged gasps.

Joe looked at him sharply, a feeling of déjà vu coming over him.

"Wouldn't it make more sense to…figure out where we are…and where we need to get to…instead of just…running?" Ford gasped out. He leaned forward and rested his hands on his knees.

Joe felt his jaw drop slightly and narrowed his eyes. _'My God, he's a mini-Frank!'_

"That's exactly what I planned to do," Joe replied somewhat defensively. "Just as soon as we were deep enough into the woods that they couldn't possibly find us. Those were real bullets they were firing at us, ya know."

Ford stared back at him. He was still breathing heavily but his face was expressionless other than one cocked eyebrow.

' _Okay, this is just plain scary.'_ Joe felt as if he were looking at his brother in a ten-year-old's body.

"So are we?" Ford finally asked.

Joe wondered if this were a trick question. "Are we what?"

"Are we deep enough in the woods?"

"As a matter of fact, we are." Joe plopped down on the ground and shrugged out of his backpack. Unzipping one of the side compartments he pulled out a map and small GPS receiver. "Here, open that up." He handed the map to Ford as he activated the receiver.

He heard the rustling of paper as Ford sat on the ground beside Joe and spread the map out. Despite being focused on the receiver, Joe still noticed Ford hunched over the map, tracing the red line of the marker with his finger. As Joe fiddled with the receiver, trying to get their position, he felt Ford now peering over his shoulder. Just as Joe was about to consult the map, Ford pointed in a northeasterly direction.

"We need to go that way," he announced.

"How do you know?" Joe blurted out, his feathers ruffled by the knowing, matter-of-fact tone in Ford's voice. _'What is this kid, a genius or something? Since when do ten-year-olds learn how to read GPS receivers?'_

"Well," Ford began seriously, "according to the GPS, we're right here." He pointed to a spot on the map. "And we need to go here." He moved his finger to the spot marked with a red 'x'. He looked up at Joe, his brown eyes serious. "So according to the information we have, we need to go northeast."

Joe stared for a moment. "Where did you learn how to use a GPS?" he blurted out.

Ford shrugged. "Frank taught me. And we learned how to read maps in geography class," he added before Joe could ask. Rolling up the map, he handed it to Joe and got to his feet. "We better get going if we want to find Frank and Jamie." The dark-haired boy stood staring at Joe expectantly.

"I was just gonna say that," Joe muttered. Shoving the map and GPS in his pack, he slung it over one shoulder and stood up. "Let's go." Before he could move, Ford turned and took a northeasterly path deeper into the forest.

Joe stared after the boy in silence and then began to chuckle. Knowing they couldn't continue to run aimlessly for very long, Ford had naturally taken charge of the situation. He'd checked the map, consulted the GPS, quickly determined which direction they needed to go and suggested they set off immediately. There hadn't been a trace of arrogance or condescension in the young boy's demeanor, just a quiet confidence. Still smiling and shaking his head in wonder at the similarities, Joe took off after the young boy. "He's just like Frank…in a midget suit!"

In three long strides Joe had reached the boy and fell in step beside him. "So, you like school?" Joe asked, as they walked.

Ford turned and looked at him strangely for a moment. "Yes."

"What grade are you in?"

"Sixth."

"What subjects do you like best?"

"Science and math."

Joe wrinkled his nose. They had not been two of his best subjects in school. "I never really got into science, and math. Math and I didn't get along all that well. History, that was my favorite. Any kind of history. European history, American history, learning about all those wars, how the really important battles were won. Oh and Greek history! All those gods were pretty cool.

"How about sports? Do you play any sports? I played a lot of sports when I was in school. Football and hockey in the fall and winter, and baseball in the spring and summer. A little bit of basketball, but I liked playing pick-up games with the guys best." Joe stopped and waited for Ford to respond.

The boy stared at Joe, his eyes small behind the wire-rimmed glasses. "You talk a lot," he stated.

Joe grinned, totally unfazed. "Yeah, so I've been told. Does it bother you? 'Cause if it does, I can shut up…I think." The last two words muttered under his breath.

"No, it doesn't bother me. Jamie talks even faster than you do." He glanced at Joe thoughtfully. "Don't you ever get tired of talking, though? Don't you ever want to just think?"

"Think? About what?"

"I don't know. Everything, anything, whatever you want to think about."

"Not really." Joe tilted his head, studying the dark-haired child.

Ford was quiet and reserved, much like Frank had been at that age, and still was at times. _'Not necessarily shy, though,'_ Joe mused, noting that Ford didn't really speak unless he had something to say. _'He doesn't talk just to talk, like Jamie. Or me!'_

Joe smiled to himself actually missing the little blonde chatterbox and wondering if Jamie had driven Frank crazy yet with his non-stop talking. Joe felt his cheeks grow warm as he thought of himself as a child; he'd talk a mile a minute, barely stopping to breathe, driving his family nuts at times.

"Can I ask you something?" Ford suddenly asked.

"Sure."

Ford glanced up at Joe, shyly. "What's it like having a big brother?"

The question caught Joe off guard and he was silent for a moment.

"What's it like having Frank for a big brother?" Ford clarified quietly.

Joe glanced at Ford and saw something on the child's face, something familiar, something he'd seen when he looked in the mirror and heard his brother's praise or advice echoing in his ears. He sensed that Frank had had a tremendous impact on the boy in the short time since they'd met. The revelation did not surprise Joe. Frank had been having an impact on Joe practically his whole life. Yes, he could easily understand the way Ford felt and it gave him a rush of pride.

"It's great," Joe answered, his voice softening. "I mean, since he's older than me he's just always been there, ya know?" A chill raced through him as the implication of his own words hit Joe full force. He'd meant that physically Frank had always been in his life, since the day he was born. But the tumult of emotions Joe was feeling now reminded him how many times Frank had been there for him emotionally, too.

"But you guys are friends, right? I mean you seem to really like each other."

Joe smiled. "Yeah, we're best friends."

"So are me and Jamie." Ford grinned. "I hope when we're older, that we're still friends too." He stopped, hesitated, and then finished softly, "just like you and Frank."

Joe felt a warm sensation spread through him. Much too often he took the deep bond he shared with his older brother for granted, too busy living life to acknowledge how lucky he was. Feeling a little ashamed, he promised himself that when this case was over, he'd let Frank know just how grateful he was.

"I hope you are, too," Joe said, surprised at the undercurrent of emotion in his voice.

Sensing Ford needed a little solitude, and suddenly feeling as if he needed some himself, Joe fell silent. The two walked side by side for a while, then Ford slowed, looking up at Joe sheepishly.

"Something wrong?" Joe asked.

"I, uh…I…I need to…" Ford stammered, shifting restlessly from one foot to the other as he looked at Joe pleadingly.

Joe looked at him, puzzled. "You need to what?"

Ford rolled his eyes and leaned closer to Joe as if he didn't want to be overheard, though Joe wondered who he was afraid might hear them out in the middle of nowhere.

"I gotta, you know… _go_!" the boy whispered harshly, his cheeks reddening slightly.

"Oh!" Joe's eyebrows shot up and he stifled the urge to laugh. "Uh, okay." He stopped and glanced around, pointing to a large tree. "How about over there?"

Ford nodded gratefully and rushed towards the tree, Joe following closely behind him. Joe stood and waited expectantly, but Ford just stared at him, annoyed.

"What?" Joe said perplexed. "I thought you had to go?"

Ford gritted his teeth. "I do."

"Well?"

Ford glowered at the younger Hardy. "I can go by myself, you know."

Joe smothered another grin. "Ah, right. Sorry." He turned his back, but stayed close. While they seemed to have outrun their pursuers for the moment, Joe knew the situation could change in the blink of an eye and he wasn't about to risk losing the boy in the name of privacy.

A moment later, he heard the sound of a zipper. Ford appeared at his side. "Okay, I'm done."

Joe was about to say something when he heard a noise. He looked at Ford and put a finger to his lips. Grabbing the child's arm, Joe pulled him close and crouched down behind a thicket of bushes. Scanning the densely forested area where the sound had come from, he listened.

Almost a full minute passed in silence and Joe began to second-guess himself. _'Maybe it was just an animal.'_ He debated whether they should stay hidden a while longer or chance continuing on. Checking his watch he frowned; they had already lost valuable time. He was about to pull Ford to his feet, when he heard something close by; too close.

Joe cocked his head to the side and strained to make out the muted sound. _'Voices?'_ Barely daring to breathe, Joe listened. Seconds later he heard it again, getting closer by the second. It was definitely someone talking.

Suddenly, Ford shifted and grabbed Joe's jacket, apparently having lost his balance squatting unsteadily next to Joe. _SNAP!_ Joe cringed as the noise seemed to echo and reverberate through the trees. Trying to steady himself, Ford had inadvertently stepped on a large, dry branch.

A heavy, unnatural silence shrouded the forest. Whoever was out there had obviously heard the snap and pinpointed their position, but wanted their own whereabouts to remain secret.

' _Damn!_ ' Joe cursed to himself. _'Can't run for it…can't stay here…'_ His eyes darted around, looking for an escape route. He saw nothing but dry twigs and brittle leaves in every direction. No matter which way they went, they'd leave a noisy trail in their wake. He groaned inwardly. _'We're sitting ducks…'_


	10. Chapter 10

Thank you Paulina Ann, Sam, J, Tinks, Dragonmart, Karen, Joe's fan, Srk, IluvJoe, miley, mini, viola, Walter, James Smith, Joeneal, VVK, snow parakeet, salman, Six and all the guest reviewers – you rock!

 **Chapter 10**

Frank heard the echo of gunshots fading away and cursed silently. He knew that when he and Joe split up, the men in the helicopter would try to follow one of them; and it was apparent they'd chosen to try and track down Joe and Ford. _'Geez, does Joe have a target on his back or what?'_ he thought angrily, half wishing the men had come after him. Admittedly he was worried, but confident Joe could elude, or outsmart, his pursuers.

Knowing he and Jamie were no longer being pursued Frank slowed to a fast walk, still holding tightly to Jamie's hand. The blonde child was breathing heavily but stubbornly tried to match Frank's long strides. "It's okay, Jamie, we can slow down a little bit."

"'Cause they went after Ford an' Joe!" Jamie responded, anger in his voice.

"Don't worry," Frank soothed him as they walked. "Joe won't let anything happen to Ford."

"Well, duh! I know that!" Jamie scoffed.

Frank smiled at Jamie's response, the child's hero worship for Joe shining like a beacon. "You like Joe a lot, huh?"

Jamie stopped dead in his tracks. Hands on his hips, Jamie looked at Frank as if he had three heads. "Don't you?!"

Frank wisely bit back a laugh and smiled at the little boy. "Yeah, I like him, too."

Jamie stared at him a moment longer and, apparently deciding he was satisfied with that answer, began walking again. "You don't show it too good sometimes," he suddenly announced, catching Frank off guard.

"Oh, really?"

"I mean you're an okay big brother, but you could be a lot better at it."

' _And all these years I thought I'd been doing a pretty good job in the big brother department, all things considered,'_ Frank thought, amused.

"You could try and be like Ford. He's the best big brother in the whole world! He knows everything!"

Frank felt a chill race down his spine as the past suddenly blurred with the present. He was awash in memories from when the Hardy family had first moved to Bayport and Frank and Joe began making new friends. Joe had asked every new kid he met if they had any brothers or sisters. In the instances where he got a negative response, Joe would look at the other child pityingly. Those who did respond affirmatively were immediately interrogated so Joe could determine if the sibling was a brother or a sister, older or younger and by how much. As far as Joe was concerned the kids who had sisters were also to be pitied, though not quite as much as those who had no siblings. Having a brother was infinitely better in Joe's eyes and having an older brother was icing on the cake. Still, Joe would inform his new friends, no one had a better brother than he did. Even now Frank reddened slightly, hearing Joe's long ago proclamation:

" _My brother Frank is the best brother in the whole world! And he knows everything!"_

Jamie tugging at his sleeve brought Frank out of the fond memories. "I bet if you asked him, Ford would tell you how to be a really good big brother!" Jamie offered up his brother's service as an advisor.

Frank chuckled, patting Jamie on the shoulder. "Thanks for the advice. I'll be sure and ask him."

Jamie beamed at him then asked. "So where'd Joe take Ford? Do ya know?"

"No, not exactly."

Jamie frowned. "Then how are we gonna find them? Hey!" Jamie whirled on Frank, not bothering to wait for a reply. "You could call them! You got a cell phone?"

Frank smiled. "Yes, I have a cell phone but it won't work here. That was a good idea, though."

"How do you know it won't work?" Jamie challenged.

' _Does he challenge everybody like this or am I just lucky?'_ Frank wondered, amused. "No cell phone towers out here. No reception."

"Did you try?" Jamie pressed.

"I don't have to try. I know it doesn't work."

Jamie scowled. "If you didn't even try, you can't be positive sure it doesn't work!"

"Jamie," Frank began patiently, "in order for cell phones to work, there has to be a cell phone tower near the cell phone. There are no towers in this area."

"How do you know?"

"I checked before we left home. Like I always check every last, little detail when we start a new case," he muttered under his breath.

"How do you know they haven't built one that you just don't know about?"

Frank sighed. _'Why didn't I grab Ford when we ran?'_ He thought fondly of the quiet, dark-haired boy. He started to reply and then decided to save himself the aggravation. _'It's like arguing with Joe; I can't win.'_ Reaching into a pocket, Frank pulled out his cell phone and handed it to Jamie. "Here, see for yourself. I have Joe on speed dial. Just press number two."

Jamie's hand hovered over the button and he looked at Frank, wide-eyed. "Number two?!" he repeated incredulous. "Who's number one?"

"My wife."

"Your wife?!" Jamie cried out in disbelief. "But Joe should be—"

"It's my phone, Jamie," Frank cut him off, remembering Joe and Jamie's ill-fated conversation about girls and wives. "Callie is number one. Joe is number two. When you get our own cell phone, you can make Joe number one."

Jamie scowled again. "I will," the boy muttered darkly. He pressed the number two, put the phone to his ear and listened intently. Several seconds later, he handed it to Frank. "Doesn't work," he mumbled.

' _Imagine that.'_ Frank slipped the phone back into his pocket.

"Still think Joe should be number one, not your wife," Jamie said in a low voice.

' _What does this kid have against wives anyway?'_ Frank wondered, bemused. "So I take it you don't like wives?" Frank tested the waters. "Or you don't like people getting married?"

Jamie spun and looked at him sharply. "Why does Joe hafta get married?!" the boy shot back, sounding almost angry. "I'm not married. And Ford isn't either!"

"You and Ford are too young to get married," Frank pointed out. "Adults – grown-ups – get married. I'm married."

"But you're different," Jamie countered as if Frank would know exactly what he meant.

Frank raised an eyebrow, wondering where this was going. "Oh?"

"You're a grown-up. A real grown-up," Jamie emphasized wrinkling his nose, as if being a grown-up were a horrible disease. "Joe isn't like a grown-up."

"Yes, he is," Frank countered.

"Is not!" Jamie exclaimed, hands squarely on his hips in the now familiar defiant stance. He glared at the elder Hardy as if he'd just vilified Joe.

"Jamie, he's twenty-four years old. He's an adult."

"But he doesn't act like one!" Jamie cried out. "He's fun!"

' _Can't argue with ya there,'_ Frank thought, amused. "Yes, he is fun. And even though he might not always act like it, he is still a grown up. And grown-ups get married. Your mom and dad are grown-ups and they're married and you're not upset about that."

"But my mom isn't a girl – she's a mom!"

Still not sure why Jamie was so upset at the thought of Joe getting married, Frank pounced on Jamie's logic hoping to sway the boy. For some reason that he couldn't fathom, it was important to Joe that Jamie 'approve' of his marrying Vanessa. "Well, you know Joe and Vanessa want to have kids one day, so eventually Vanessa will be somebody's mom, too."

Jamie's eyes widened. "They're gonna have kids?!"

"Mm-hmm," Frank nodded, puzzled. What could Jamie have against kids? He was one himself.

Jamie scowled and turned away, but not before Frank saw a flash of jealousy in the little boy's eyes. _'Ah, things are starting to make a little more sense…'_

"You don't think they should have kids?"

"No!" Jamie wiped a sleeve across his eyes and nose.

"Why not?" Frank asked gently, although he already knew the answer.

Jamie sniffled as a tear slid down his cheek, his voice quavering. "Cause then Joe will forget all about me. Just like he will if he marries a… _girl_!"

' _Poor kid. He really latched onto Joe in a short period of time.'_ Frank put his arm around Jamie and pulled the child close. Jamie turned and snuggled into Frank's embrace, crying softly. "Don't worry, kiddo," Frank assured him, stroking the boy's blonde hair. "Joe will never forget you."

"Promise?" Jamie sniffled again.

"Yeah, promise." Frank nudged the little boy forward once more.

Moments later, Jamie turned to Frank again, tears now dried and talk of marriage, wives and kids long forgotten. "Does your cell phone work now?" he asked hopefully.

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yup."

They had taken less than ten steps when Jamie tugged on Frank's sleeve. "How about now? Is it working now?" His eyes lit up and he hopped up and down a few times. "We could call a helicopter to come get us! Then we could fly around and see where Ford an' Joe are!"

Frank didn't miss a beat. He pulled out his cell phone again and handed it to the boy. "Go ahead. Give it a try."

Jamie grabbed it excitedly. He frowned, his fingers hovering over the keypad. "What's the number for helicopters?" he asked earnestly.

"Try 9-1-1." Frank smiled as Jamie carefully pressed the numbers. He almost felt sorry for the little boy when the call didn't go through.

Jamie's face fell and he scowled. "Still doesn't work."

"Guess we have to keep walking, huh?"

"Guess so…how much father is it?"

"We've still got a ways to go yet."

"How far is _'a ways'_?" Jamie asked, almost causing Frank to laugh out loud.

"About five miles to the spot where we're going to get picked up."

"Oh." Jamie was silent for a moment, apparently contemplating this. A moment later, he looked up at Frank. "How many minutes is a mile? How many minutes is five miles?"

"A lot."

"More than ten?"

"Yup."

"More than twenty?"

"Uh-huh."

"How many more?"

"A lot more."

"Oh." This time Jamie was silent for a full five minutes, before whirling on Frank again. "Is it five miles now? Aren't we there yet?!"

Frank sighed. _'Man, I really miss you, Joe!'_ he thought, envying the way Joe had been able to keep Jamie amused so effortlessly. Frank was about to reply when he heard something off to his left. He reached out and grabbed Jamie, pulling the boy to a sudden stop.

"Hey!" Jamie cried out, annoyed.

"Shhh!" Frank hissed, pulling Jamie close to him. Listening intently he clearly heard a twig snap. Someone was behind them.

Frank quickly spotted an outcropping of rocks, surrounded by wild shrubs. Rushing forward, he crouched behind them, motioning for Jamie to get behind him and be quiet. Shrugging out of his backpack, Frank unzipped it and reached inside for the gun and clip that were nestled in the bottom. He wasn't thrilled at having to bring a weapon on a rescue mission involving children, but it was a necessary evil and both he and Joe had taken the precaution of making certain their guns were inaccessible and unloaded.

Now pulling the weapon out, he slipped the clip in, keeping it pointed down at the ground. Peering out from his hiding place, Frank saw a very slight movement in the bushes several yards away. Checking to make sure Jamie was out of harm's way, he raised the gun and trained it on the now still bushes, his finger hovering just over the trigger.

' _Come on… show yourself…'_


	11. Chapter 11

Thanks to everyone who reviewed as well as two very special thanks.

To the Guest who left the constructive criticism, thank you! I am very appreciative of anyone who is willing to take their time to help me improve as a writer. Both you and James mentioned issues with the gun scenario (more about that in a second). I could say I had set this story in North Carolina so the xenolith would make sense but truth be told, I didn't do as much research as I should have. Thank you for reminding me of the importance of accurate research. I will continue to work on the participle phrases and try to keep them in check. A friend recently pointed out I had something of a 'love affair' with adverbs so my focus has been on removing them. Any additional suggestions you may have would be welcomed!

To James – thanks buddy, for your help with phrasing to make the gun loading scene more realistic and plausible. You always tell me what you like but don't hesitate to point out areas that could be improved and I appreciate that. I'm sure I'll be taking you up on the offer to take advantage of your expertise again in the future! Thanks!

 **Chapter 11**

Frank kept his eyes trained on the bushes for over a minute, barely daring to blink. Whomever was there hadn't moved, he was certain. They were probably waiting and wondering, just as he was. Normally he wouldn't mind a standoff; he knew he could outwait anyone. But Jamie…Frank knew he was seriously pressing his luck expecting the small tornado of a boy to remain still and silent for any length of time.

As if to prove him right, Frank sensed Jamie growing restless and starting to fidget behind him. Frank gritted his teeth, unable to risk taking his eyes off his target or speak to reprimand the boy. _'Come on, Jamie, please stay still!'_

His silent plea went unanswered as he felt Jamie's hand on his back. Jamie slowly stood, pressing himself against Frank and peering over his shoulder.

Moving quickly but quietly, Joe opened his backpack and reached inside, his eyes never moving from the area where the voices had originated. He'd hoped he wouldn't have to do this at all, he had a definite aversion to loaded guns anywhere near children, but he had no choice. Feeling around inside the pack, his fingers brushed up against the unloaded gun lying snugly in an inside pocket. He felt around until he found the magazine and slowly slipped it in place and hoped the padding would muffle the sound. Lifting the weapon to eye level, Joe aimed it across the way, and trained his eyes on the bushes. Then he waited.

Preparing for a lengthy wait, Joe was surprised when he saw movement between the branches, and a flash of blonde hair.

"It's Jamie!" Ford hissed in his ear.

Joe lowered the gun, thankful Ford didn't try to grab his arm to prevent him from firing. He'd come to the same realization a split second earlier. Joe removed the clip and returned it and the gun to his pack. Ford started to stand up behind him. He grabbed the boy's arm and pushed him back down. Ford glared at him, a look Joe returned in kind. While he and Ford now knew they were facing off against Frank and Jamie, he understood that Frank might not yet realize it. Joe was certain Frank had his own gun trained on them right now.

Joe motioned Ford to stay down and be quiet, pursed his lips and whistled a bird call. It was a signal he and Frank had agreed on long ago and had been using in similar situations for many years. Seconds later, he heard it returned and smiled.

"Okay, now we can move," Joe said, his voice a low whisper.

Ford quickly emerged from their hiding place, and rushed forward, his eyes scanning the bushes anxiously. Seeing Jamie, he ran forward, grabbed the little boy in a hug and held him tightly.

As Joe watched the two young brothers, he slung the backpack over his shoulder and felt a rush of warm memories. He glanced up to see Frank walking towards him.

"Good to see you, bro," Frank said.

Joe grinned. "You, too."

Suddenly Jamie broke free from his brother and ran to Joe. He jumped up and Joe easily lifted him off the ground. Jamie hugged him tightly for a moment. When the small boy loosened his grip, he immediately turned to glare at Frank.

"He was gonna shoot you!" he said hotly, pointing an accusing finger at the elder Hardy.

Frank looked at the little boy incredulous. "I was not!" he cried out, dumbfounded.

"Were too!"

"Was not!"

"Were too!" Jamie declared, wriggling out of Joe's arms and dropping to the ground. "You were aimin' at him!"

Frank stared, speechless. Then he heard Joe's voice, punctuated by barely restrained snickering.

"I dunno, bro. Sounds like he's got a valid point there. You were aiming at me….Were you gonna shoot me?"

Very slowly, Frank looked up and met his brother's gaze. Joe was grinning, laughter dancing in his eyes.

"No," Frank said evenly, "I wasn't going to shoot you – then." He waited a beat, glowering at his younger brother. "But I'm giving it serious thought right now."

Jamie gasped and grabbed Joe's sleeve, tugging hard. "See! See! I told you he was gonna shoot you!" He looked back over his shoulder at Frank with a deadly scowl.

Frank rolled his eyes and heaved a sigh. "You know, I can take either of you one on one." He looked from Joe to Jamie and back again. "But together…" he shuddered dramatically. "That's just cruel and unusual punishment. Wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy." He turned and started walking away, his voice slowly fading out. "It's inhuman. Sadistic. Pure torture." Ford immediately fell in step beside him.

Laughing softly to himself and wishing he could've been privy to any conversations between Frank and Jamie while they'd been separated, Joe followed, almost choking when Jamie said, under his breath, "He was too gonna shoot you. I know he was!"

"I heard that!" Frank's voice floated back towards them. "And I was not going to shoot him!"

A few moments later, Frank stopped and dropped to one knee. With a dense canopy of trees blocking out the clear blue sky, he put his backpack on the ground in front of him. "We need to regroup," he said as Joe and Jamie approached. "I just didn't want to do it where they might be able to get a bead on us from the air."

Joe sat down next to his brother, pulling Jamie down onto his lap. "No wandering, okay, pal? We're only stopping for a minute."

Jamie grinned and nodded agreeably, happily settling back against Joe's chest. Frank removed the map from his pack and unrolled it. Seated on the other side of Frank, Ford held the edge of the map, looking at it intently.

"They obviously know we're out here," Frank began, "so this isn't going to work anymore." He pointed to the trail they were supposed to follow. "There's going to be certain points where we'd be out in the open."

Joe scanned the map. "We need to find a detour that gives us continuous cover."

"Are they gonna catch us?" Jamie asked softly, sounding scared for the first time.

Joe hugged the little boy. "Not a chance, pal."

"We can continue up to this point," Frank tapped a spot on the map, "then we'll have to veer to the east for a little bit." He frowned, seeing two additional areas where they would have to veer off course to maintain the cover they needed to avoid being spotted by the helicopter again. "This is going to add at least fifteen, twenty minutes. And now that they know our general area, they'll probably have a search party on the ground, too."

He looked up at Joe, his eyes expressing concern. Were these detours and the possibility of having to elude pursuers on foot as well as in the air going to prevent them from reaching the rendezvous point on time?

An hour later, Frank was starting to relax a little. All talk had ceased early on as, having no choice, he and Joe pushed their young charges hard, needing to make up the time they lost to the deviation in the original trail. Keeping up with the intense pace they'd set had left the two young boys little energy for idle chatter. However, they'd made better time than even Frank had expected and within minutes, would be emerging out of the woods to face what he considered the most dangerous part of their trek, crossing the ravine.

Slowing down so he could tell Joe they were almost there, Frank turned towards his brother and stiffened. He held up a hand, palm out, forcing Joe to stop. Frank placed a finger to his lips. As his gaze scanned the area behind them, he strained to hear. Joe cocked his head to one side, also listening intently.

At first all they heard were the normal woodland sounds, birds calling to one another, the rustle of a branch overhead as a squirrel jumped from tree to tree, a few leaves skittering along the ground in the gentle breeze…and then Frank felt an icy chill. The unmistakable sound of voices carried on the breeze; whether by luck or skill, their pursuers had picked up their trail.

With a jerk of his head, Frank turned, grabbed Ford's hand and broke into a jog, silently apologizing to the young boy who had no choice but to keep up with him. He heard Joe and Jamie right behind him, but the sounds of their running feet quickly began to fade. He cursed, knowing Jamie couldn't possibly keep up a running pace. A moment later, he couldn't hear his brother or Jamie at all.

Unable to do anything to remedy that situation, he focused on his own young charge and getting Ford to the other side of the ravine. Plunging ahead, Frank kept his eyes glued to the narrow trail, periodically ducking right or left to avoid low hanging branches, thankful Ford was short enough that Mother Nature's hidden arsenal wasn't an issue for him. Frank's relentless pace was, however, as the boy was now panting heavily.

"Almost there," Frank murmured encouragingly.

A moment later, the two of them burst out of the trees and into bright sunshine. Frank slowed and squinted, momentarily blinded by the intense sunlight. His eyes quickly adjusted and he saw the wooden plank just ahead of them and to the right. Veering towards it, he slowed considerably, pulling Ford to a complete stop at the edge of the ravine.

"Okay, I need you to do a few things for me," Frank said, looking at the boy intently. "Don't let go of my hand, don't look down and do not look back. Keep your eyes glued to the trees on the other side." He emphasized the last request by squeezing Ford's hand tightly. He knew that Ford would want to check on Joe and Jamie's progress, to make sure they were close behind. Frank himself would be fighting the very same urge.

Ford hesitated and glanced back over his shoulder.

Frank tugged on the boy's hand to regain his attention. "Joe will take care of Jamie. I need you to stay focused on me. Can you do that?"

Ford swallowed hard, looking for the first time like a scared little boy. "O-okay."

"Good. Let's go." Frank put one foot on the board, then the other, testing the stability. It wobbled slightly, causing Frank's heart to leap into his throat, but then steadied again. Slow, cautious steps rapidly turned into a record setting pace, with Frank feeling as if he were running across a tightrope.

Racing across the wooden plank, Frank reminded himself not to look down. He could feel himself practically dragging Ford behind him, their hands locked together, and hoped the young boy had heeded his advice to keep his eyes glued to the trees on the opposite side of the ravine. Closer and closer they got, with Frank never slowing down. He and Ford needed to complete their journey before Joe and Jamie could even start theirs.

Falling into a rhythm, he was able to maintain a fast pace without rocking the slim board. Resisting the overpowering urge to look down or look back, Frank focused on the trees, willing them to move closer. At first it seemed they weren't getting any closer, but Frank took a split second to glance at the far end of the board and cheered silently. They were almost to the end of the board; only a few more seconds…

' _YES!'_ Frank exulted as his foot hit solid ground.

He and Ford stepped off the narrow piece of wood and broke into a run, disappearing into the trees. As soon as he was sure they could not be seen, they stopped, and turned around, crouching down among the bushes, and peered out across the gulf that now separated them from Joe and Jamie.

' _Come on, Joe. What are you waiting for?'_ Their pursuers weren't more than a minute or so behind them. With a relieved sigh, he saw Joe emerge from the woods with Jamie by his side.

They broke into a jog heading for the plank that would lead them to safety when Jamie stumbled and fell. As Frank watched anxiously, Joe dropped the backpack he'd been carrying and knelt down next to Jamie, checking to see if the little boy was okay. Standing up, Joe shouldered the backpack and took Jamie's hand, the two of them resuming their journey. They were still several yards away from the dangerously narrow board that was their only escape when a gunshot rang out. Frank watched, horrified and helpless as Joe fell to the ground on top of Jamie.


	12. Chapter 12

You know that mindset you get when you go to see one of those summer action adventure movies? The ones with those crazy, death defying stunts that you love to watch but have a hard time believing could ever happen in real life? Yeah, that one. You need that mindset to read this chapter. I've taken liberties and my excuse is, "I'm in Hardy-land." ;-)

 **Chapter 12**

Frank watched horrified, as Joe lay immobile on top of Jamie, who was barely visible beneath him. Hearing a soft whimper beside him, Frank pulled Ford close.

Suddenly Joe jumped up, scooped Jamie up off the ground and ran back to the trees they had just emerged from. Frank started to breathe again, realizing Joe had dropped to the ground, to protect Jamie when he heard the gunshot. His relief was short lived however, as reality dawned. Joe and Jamie were now trapped. Attempting to make their way across the ravine on the wood plank they would easily be picked off, yet if they stayed put, they would be found within minutes.

"Frank, what are they going to do?" Ford asked in a scared whisper.

"I'm sure Joe will think of something," Frank attempted to comfort the boy.

Trying to find with a way to help Joe and Jamie, yet still keep Ford safe, Frank was coming up empty and beginning to panic when he looked across the ravine and saw Joe just inside the tree line, talking to Jamie in earnest. Joe had figured out a way to get them across the ravine to safety leaving Frank to wonder what Joe had in mind. Watching his brother make preparations, it suddenly hit him what Joe was planning to do.

' _Now I know he's been hit on the head one too many times.'_ Frank shook his head, too far away to do anything but watch as his brother prepared for an act of insanity that was tantamount to suicide, topping every outrageous thing he'd ever done in his life. Frank's shoulders slumped in defeat. _'They'll never make it,_ '

On the other side of the ravine, Joe took a few deep breaths. The gunshot had startled him as he hadn't realized their pursuers were so close. Close enough that Joe knew he didn't have much time to come up with a plan. Crossing on the plank was out of the question. Out in the open for that long with no cover whatsoever, they'd be easy targets. Staying put, they'd be captured in minutes. Joe had maybe a minute to get Jamie to the other side fast enough to be a rapidly moving target for whoever was taking pot shots at them.

Joe couldn't see his brother but still knew Frank was watching his every move. It was a comforting thought but didn't do him much good as far as coming up with a solution, since they had no way to communicate. Crouching in the underbrush, Joe leaned against the giant tree trunk behind him and gazed upwards. His eyes followed the thick, sturdy branch that jutted out over the ravine and lit up with excitement. Grabbing the backpack, Joe pulled out a coil of rope and laid it out loosely on the ground. He eyed the length of the rope, the width of the ravine and the branch again. ' _Should be enough,'_ he thought, then shrugged his shoulders. They had no other choice.

Jamie looked up at Joe, not seeming the least bit concerned about their predicament. "How we gonna get across?"

Joe grinned. "Ever seen Tarzan?"

Jamie's eyes widened in surprise. He looked at the rope Joe was re-coiling and then out across the ravine. His face split into a huge grin. "Cool!" he exclaimed at the prospect of yet another adventure with his hero.

Smiling at the boy's enthusiasm, Joe got to work. Throwing the rope over the branch, he pulled the end down and made a loop, threading the other end through it. Pulling the rope until it was securely wrapped around the branch he yanked on it, grunting in satisfaction. Picking up the backpack, Joe retrieved a pair of leather gloves and put them on, zipped the pack shut and put it on his back.

Joe held his arms out and Jamie literally jumped into them, unable to contain his excitement. "Now put your arms around my neck and your legs around my waist. I have to hang on to the rope so you need to hold on to me as tight as you can, okay?" Joe instructed.

Jamie smiled, nodding his head vigorously.

"No matter what happens, don't let go," Joe said firmly.

Jamie was bursting with anticipation. "I won't! You can count on me, partner!"

With Jamie clinging to him for all he was worth, Joe grabbed the rope and pulled on it firmly. Reaching up a little higher, he bent his knees and lifted his feet so they were momentarily suspended, the rope completely supporting their weight. Satisfied the rope would hold, Joe stood and walked back several steps making sure he could get a good running start.

"Remember…" he began, looking at Jamie.

"Don't let go!"

"Right, partner."

Looking across the ravine, Joe mentally crossed his fingers. _'If this doesn't work, Frank is gonna have a hell of a lot of explaining to do.'_

Making sure the rope was wound tightly around his gloved hands, Joe gave one final tug. "Ready?"

"Ready!" Jamie exclaimed.

Joe took off running as fast as he could, given the added weight of Jamie and the backpack. Reaching the edge of the ravine, he literally took a leap of faith and swung out over the gaping hole, praying they'd reach the other side in one piece.

The instant they left solid ground a gunshot rang out. Jamie's grip on Joe tightened. Joe's worry that Jamie might get scared and panic was washed away as squeals of delight echoed in his ear along with the sound of the wind whooshing by. Within seconds, Joe felt solid ground beneath his feet. Without missing a beat, Joe released the rope and wrapped his arms around Jamie, running for cover. Another gunshot ripped through the air, dangerously close to them. Crashing through the bushes Joe slowed, his eyes darting around in search of his brother.

Hearing a noise to his right, Joe spun around, dropped Jamie to his feet and pushed the boy behind him. He exhaled with relief as Frank and Ford emerged from hiding.

Wordlessly, Joe nudged Jamie towards Frank. Dropping to his knees he shrugged off the backpack and unzipped it. Rummaging around inside, he pulled out the gun and its magazine, shoving it into place. Walking as close to the tree line as he dared, Joe raised the gun and carefully lined up the rope in his sights. As it swayed gently, Joe steadied his hand and fired off two shots in quick succession, smiling grimly as the rope was severed and fell from sight. Standing, he noticed the plank was gone and assumed Frank had sabotaged it while the gunmen were focused on his and Jamie's wild ride. Turning around, Joe found himself face to face with a simmering Frank.

"What?" Joe asked testily, as Frank stared at him.

"Did you see us?!" Jamie asked his older brother, excitedly hopping from one foot to the other. "We flew across that ravine!" Jamie turned and ran to Joe's side, his eyes wide with hero-worship. "Dude, that was awesome!" Bouncing up and down, he reached up and gave Joe a high-five. "Can we do it again sometime?!"

"No!" Frank yelled, finally having recovered enough to speak, still trying to grasp what he'd just witnessed….

…..

Mystified, Frank had watched as Joe attached the rope to the tree branch, wondering what Joe could possibly have in mind. When he saw Joe tug on the rope, eyeing the distance across the ravine, it dawned on him what Joe was considering. Frank had quickly dismissed the idea, telling himself even Joe wasn't that crazy. However, when he saw Joe gesture to Jamie, then pick the boy up, Frank had to face the fact that his brother really was that crazy, fully intending to swing across the ravine in some bizarre Tarzan imitation with a pack secured to his back and Jamie clinging to his chest.

Frank was certain there was no way Joe could make it all the way across. He really didn't want to witness his brother plunge to his death, but he was unable to turn away. Frank wondered how he was going to explain this one to his parents. He briefly considered running away from home and then realized Fenton and Laura would eventually notice that neither of their sons had returned from their rescue mission.

Now openly glaring at his younger brother, Frank got that same sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach as he had during the few seconds it took for Joe and Jamie to swing across the ravine, sure he was about to watch his brother perish right in front of his eyes. Momentarily losing control, Frank reached out and grabbed Joe's jacket, yanking him forward until they were almost nose-to-nose.

"ARE YOU INSANE?! Have you finally lost your mind completely?" Frank bellowed, his heart pounding wildly in his chest and shaking from the adrenaline that still coursed through him.

"What was I supposed to do?" Joe snapped defensively. "Walking across the plank we would've been sitting ducks. If we'd stayed on that side any longer looking for another way across, they would've caught us!"

Staring at Joe, speechless, Frank felt something pushing against him, forcing him back a step. He looked down to see Jamie squirming his way between Frank and Joe, pressing himself up against Joe's legs protectively. "Why are you mad?" he asked. "Joe was supposed to get me to this side and he did, right?"

Hearing the reverent tone in Jamie's voice as he talked about Joe, Frank shook his head. "Yes, Jamie, he did but…"

Jamie frowned disapprovingly. "Then why are you yelling at him?"

Hearing a snicker, Frank looked up and saw Joe doing his best to contain himself as he watched Frank once again being taken to task by a seven-year-old. Narrowing his eyes, Frank scowled darkly at Joe, muttering something under his breath. Picking up his own backpack, he turned and started to walk away, quickly spinning around and taking a few steps back towards his younger sibling. Frank swore he felt his blood pressure rising as Joe looked at him innocently.

"Don't think for one second we're through with this, little brother. As soon as your pint-sized bodyguard is back home safe and sound, we are going to have a very long talk. Believe me, I have a much different opinion of your Tarzan impersonation than he does. And I know Dad will agree with me."

Putting a hand on Ford's shoulder, Frank nudged him forward to resume their journey.

"Tattletale," Joe mumbled.

Frank stopped mid-stride but did not turn around. Joe watched as Frank's shoulders heaved up and down, indicating Frank was attempting to regain control of his temper. A tense moment passed as Joe nervously wondered if he'd pushed his older brother over the edge this time. He felt a small hand slip into his and looked down to see Jamie eyeing Frank with trepidation.

"He's not gonna kill you is he?" Jamie whispered loudly, pressing himself up against Joe's leg.

"Not in front of witnesses," Joe said wryly as Frank began moving again, never once looking back at his brother.

"Then I won't take my eyes off you," Jamie promised as he and his idol followed their older siblings and vanished into the brush.


	13. Chapter 13

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, followed, favorited and all those who are reading.

 **Chapter 13**

Joe hurried along behind his brother who was several paces ahead. Frank hadn't said more than two words to Joe since the foursome had resumed their trek on this side of the ravine. His shoulders were hunched forward, and even at this distance Joe could feel the tension coming off him in waves. Joe knew exactly what had his brother so upset and while there was nothing he could have done differently, he still regretted it.

Once the adrenaline rush had worn off, it had hit Joe full force just how risky and dangerous his flight across the ravine had been. Yet it was one thing to be the one flying across the gaping hole; it was something else entirely to be the person on the other side, watching helplessly.

Joe couldn't imagine how terrifying it must've been for Frank and Ford to watch their younger siblings literally hanging by a thread, an open target for the men who were intent on capturing or killing them. Frank had more than a little reason to feel sullen. Still, Joe hated when there was any kind of tension between them, deserved or not. He'd decided to catch up to his brother and try to smooth things over when Frank stopped abruptly. Joe hurried forward until he was standing next to Frank.

"What?"

Frank pointed straight ahead. "There."

Joe squinted, seeing nothing but trees at first. Then he suddenly heard a car whiz by and realized they were only yards from a road. Staring through the thick stand of trees, he saw the hard blacktop.

"Stay here." Frank moved forward without waiting for a reply. A moment later he returned. "Okay, the car and the agents are there. I signaled them and they returned it correctly. Let's go before our friends catch up."

With Frank in the lead, Joe took the rear, hustling the boys along while throwing frequent glances over his shoulder. Emerging from the trees, Joe blinked a few times as his eyes adjusted to the sunlight. It was late afternoon, but the heavy canopy of tree branches had blocked the sun, making even the fading afternoon light seem bright. A few yards to their right stood a black SUV with tinted windows and two men standing next to it as if they had car trouble.

Hurrying to the car, Joe exchanged a brief greeting with the agents as Frank reached for the handle of the car door. "Okay guys, in the car. Let's go," he urged the two boys.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Jamie cried out, refusing to budge another step. "How do you know they're good guys?" he demanded pointing at the two agents. Without waiting for a reply, he turned to one of the men, his chin thrust forward defiantly. "You got a badge?"

"Yes, I do," the agent replied, straight-faced.

Jamie pointed at Frank. "Well, let him see it!"

Joe snickered and Frank just shook his head as the agent pulled out his badge. Handing it to Frank he grinned and asked, "Has he been like this the whole time?"

Frank took the badge. "Worse. Trust me, you're getting off easy."

"Look at it real good!" Jamie instructed the elder Hardy. "It could be a fake, ya know!"

"See what I mean?" Frank asked, glancing at the agent.

"Well?" Jamie demanded impatiently. "Is it real?"

"Yes, it's real." Frank returned the badge to the agent.

Jamie narrowed his eyes at Frank. "You sure? You only looked at it for a minute."

"Yes, I'm sure. Can we get in the car now?"

"What about him?" Jamie cried out, pointing at the other agent. "You didn't check his badge! What if he's a bad guy?"

Frank rolled his eyes and held out his hand to the second agent. "Trust me, it'll be a lot quicker this way." Frank glanced at the badge and then handed it to Jamie. "Well? What do you think? Is it real?"

Jamie studied the badge intently, his brow creased in deep concentration. Finally, he returned it to Frank. "Looks okay to me."

Joe bit back a smile as he helped Jamie into one of the rear seats and belted him in. Ford climbed in next to his brother, while Frank and Joe took the middle seats. They pulled away and Joe breathed a sigh of relief, the hardest part was over.

Settled in the car, they all rode in silence. Joe glanced at Frank who was staring out the window. Slouching down in the seat, Joe brooded, unhappy at not being able to talk to Frank earlier.

"How's your arm?" Frank asked, his gaze still focused out the window.

Joe rubbed his arm absently. "Fine. Doesn't hurt at all."

"Good. When we get to the safe house, make sure you clean it really well. And put some antibiotic ointment and a new bandage on it."

"I will." Joe felt a little bit of the tension slip away. Knowing it would take close to an hour to get to the small regional airport, Joe leaned his head back and fell asleep.

"Whoa! Look at that!" Jamie ran to the large window in the terminal. Hands pressed to the glass, eyes huge, he stared at the private jet taxiing down the runway. "Is that our plane?"

Joe laughed. " 'Fraid not, pal. We've got your basic puddle jumper."

"Huh?" Jamie frowned in confusion. Before Joe could answer, Jamie's gaze strayed past him and his blue eyes lit up. "McDonald's!" He jumped up and down, pointing to the fast food restaurant behind Joe. "Can we get something to eat? Please? PLEASE?!" he begged, tugging on Joe's arm.

Joe turned to his brother and grinned. "I'm a little tired of protein bars and dried fruit myself. We have time for a quick stop?"

Frank nodded and led the group to the counter.

Joe looked down at Jamie. "Whaddya want, big guy?"

"I want a cheeseburger and chicken nuggets and French fries – large ones! – and a chocolate shake and an apple pie and a hot fudge sundae for dessert!" he rattled off barely taking a breath.

"You heard the man," Joe smiled at the woman behind the counter.

"He can't eat all that," Frank said.

Joe stared at the menu, trying to decide what he wanted. "I'll eat whatever he doesn't,"

"I don't doubt it. And if he gets sick once we get airborne, you can clean it up, too."

Joe stopped perusing the menu and looked at Jamie doubtfully, remembering why he wasn't too crazy about small planes himself. Too much turbulence at the lower altitudes allowed the passengers to feel every single bump, no matter how small. He suddenly had second thoughts. "Uh, give him the burger, small fries and shake," Joe amended, purposefully avoiding Frank's gaze. "If he finishes that, he can get something else."

…..

As they walked through the terminal after finishing their meal, Joe noticed once again how quiet Frank had become. Not his usual quiet, but the same tense, brooding silence that Joe had been receiving for the past few hours. Joe sighed to himself. Despite the brief respite when they'd been picked up by the agents, he knew Frank was still upset with his stunt for getting to the other side of the ravine.

Nudging Jamie, Joe urged the boy to catch up with Ford, who was walking several steps ahead of them. Jamie looked at him puzzled, but shrugged and did as Joe requested. Still keeping his eyes on the two boys, Joe fell in step next to Frank.

"Hey."

"Hmmm?" Frank looked at him for a second, then went back to scanning the people in the terminal, still on the alert for any sign of trouble.

"Listen, I know you're upset about what I did back there."

Frank speared him with a narrowed glance and Joe knew he was right.

"And I understand, I really do. I'm sorry for scaring you like that, but I didn't have any other choice, Frank. I know you've been obsessing over it and honestly, have you been able to come up with anything I could have done differently?"

Frank pursed his lips, his brow creased in thought for a moment, before exhaling in exasperation. "No," he admitted. "But I don't have to like it, Joe. I mean, I was helpless. If it hadn't worked out exactly the way you planned, if one little thing had gone wrong, there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it, except watch you die." Frank held his gaze just long enough for Joe to see the abject fear and then he looked away.

Joe reached out and put his hand on Frank's back. He'd tried to put himself in Frank's place and had no idea how he would have handled it if it had been him watching Frank do something that had a better chance of getting him killed than anything else. "I'm sorry."

Frank turned and looked at Joe for a long moment. "Yeah well, just don't do it again."

Joe squeezed his shoulder and grinned. Things were okay between them again. "You know me," he winked.

Frank rolled his eyes. "Yes, I do." He sighed dramatically. "And that's what worries me."


	14. Chapter 14

Thanks for the reviews and thank you to everyone who is reading.

 **Chapter 14**

Reaching the far end of the small airport Frank, Joe and the two boys emerged onto the tarmac where the private planes were kept.

"Stay close," Joe warned Jamie. The boy's eyes had lit up like Christmas trees when he saw the the small planes neatly lined up in the open hangars.

"Which one is ours?!" he asked excitedly.

Frank pointed to a small, sleek white plane with silver and blue stripes. "That one right over there."

"Awesome!"

Frank grinned and looked at his brother. "Why don't you get them settled in the plane. I have to file the flight plan and sign the contract. Should be there in ten minutes or so."

"Okay, troops, let's move out," Joe announced, guiding Jamie and Ford to the small plane.

When Frank arrived, Ford was sitting quietly behind the pilot's seat, belted in and ready to go. Jamie however, was sitting in the pilot's seat, his head practically swiveling from side to side as he tried to take in the multitude of knobs, buttons and dials.

Frank poked his head in the door and smiled. "I think you're in my seat."

"Aw, do I hafta move?" Jamie whined.

"If you want to get home you do," Joe pointed out. "Don't you want to see your mom and dad?"

"And Bingo!" Jamie scrambled into the seat behind Joe. "Don't forget Bingo!"

As Joe tried to get Jamie settled in and buckled up, the small boy twisted and turned, trying to get the best view over Joe's broad shoulders, thoroughly enthralled with Frank's every move as he began the pre-flight check.

"Man, it's like wrestling with an octopus," Joe muttered, finally getting into his own seat.

Frank chuckled softly, continuing to flip switches in methodical order.

Jamie strained as far forward as the seat belt would allow. "Whatcha doin?"

"Pre-flight check," Frank replied.

"What's that?"

"It's to make sure everything works the way it's supposed to," Joe answered.

"Oh." Jamie was silent for a moment but still hypnotized by Frank's seemingly synchronized movements. "How about now? What're you doin' now?"

"Still on the pre-flight check," Frank said. He quickly realized if he responded to all Jamie's questions, they'd never get off the ground and simply let the boy fire them off in rapid fire succession.

"What's that for?"

"Why'd you do that?"

"What's that light mean?"

"Why's that dial spinning?"

"How high can we go?"

"Are we gonna crash?"

That question caught Frank off guard, "No we're not going to crash!" he exclaimed, feeling as if his skills as a pilot had just been called into question.

"But what if we do?" Jamie pressed, his blue eyes huge at the thought.

"We won't."

"Are you sure we won't crash?"

"Yes, I'm sure!" Frank said emphatically, turning around to look the little boy in the eye.

"Then can I help fly?"

"No, you can't." Frank refocused on the front of the cockpit.

"Why not?" Jamie whined. "You're lettin' Joe help fly!"

"Joe has taken lessons… have you?"

Jamie flopped back against the seat, arms crossed over his chest and glared at Frank in reply.

Frank grinned at his brother. "I'll take that as a 'no'."

Jamie was sullenly quiet for a moment, but then sat bolt upright. "Well, if Joe has taken lessons, how come YOU get to fly?"

Joe nudged Frank, his eyes dancing with laughter. "Yeah, how come you get to fly?"

"You don't like to fly," Frank reminded him.

"True, but it's the principle of the thing," Joe teased.

Frank shook his head and then glanced back at Jamie. "Joe took lessons but he doesn't have a pilot's license; he's not allowed to fly by himself. He'd be breaking the law."

Jamie flopped back again, looking out the window. "Stupid law," he muttered darkly.

Joe, barely able to cover his amusement, glanced at Frank. "Want an aspirin?"

"How about a sedative – for him." Frank jerked his head towards Jamie.

After several more minutes of "What's this?" and "Why'd you do that?", Frank was finally able to taxi down the runway and soon they were airborne. The sun was just about to set, allowing just enough light to see the ground below fading away.

Jamie seemed to be in perpetual motion, twisting and turning in his seat, trying to see out all windows in every direction, still continuing to ask rapid-fire questions and wanting an explanation for every move Frank made.

"Man, could you turn him off. Pull his batteries… something!" Frank requested of his younger brother pleadingly.

As if sensing Frank's waning patience with the child, Ford put a hand on Jamie's arm. "Why don't you sit back and take a nap?"

Jamie looked at him in disbelief. "No!" he cried out as if Ford had asked him to jump out of the moving plane.

"Okay then, how about if I tell you a story?"

Joe turned in his seat in time to see Jamie light up. "Yes!" he agreed pumping a fist in the air, his smile growing wider when he saw Joe looking at him. "Ford tells GREAT stories!" he announced proudly, snuggling back into his seat and looking at his older brother expectantly.

"Once upon a time there were two brothers who had amazing super powers," Ford began.

"Ooh! Ooh! I know their names!" Jamie cried out.

"Okay, what were their names?"

"Joe and Frank!"

"How do ya like that?" Joe grinned, leaning towards Frank. "We have super powers now! I wonder what they are… I'm kinda partial to x-ray vision myself," he winked. "How about you?"

"I think I'd like to be able to see into the future." Frank waited a moment then added, "So I'd have plenty of warning when I have to bail you out of trouble."

"Ha, ha."

Less than five minutes later, the only sound in the small plane was the low drone of the engines.

Joe grinned. "Ah, just listen to that."

"What?" Frank asked puzzled. "I don't hear a thing."

"Exactly." Joe leaned back in the seat and closed his eyes with a contented sigh. "Blissful silence."

A few moments later, Frank glanced over his shoulder. Noting both Jamie and Ford were fast asleep, he broke the comfortable silence. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Joe said agreeably.

"Why was it so important to you that Jamie approve of Vanessa? I mean he's a seven-year-old kid you'll probably never see again. Why did it bother you so much that he got all bent out of shape about you getting married?"

Joe felt his face grow hot and knew he must've turned several shades of red. "Ego," he muttered.

"Huh?"

"Ego," Joe repeated, embarrassed. "Mine. Man, that kid thinks I walk on water! It's a pretty big head rush." He grinned and then shrugged. "I guess I just wasn't ready to take a tumble off that pedestal he put me on."

Frank chuckled and shook his head. "So you do understand it doesn't really matter what some kid thinks of Vanessa?"

"Ah, come on," Joe nudged his arm. "You have to admit it's a pretty cool feeling knowing someone thinks that highly of you, no matter what their age."

"I wouldn't know. No one has ever put me on a pedestal like that."

Joe turned and stared at him, arching an eyebrow. "Your kid brother has – still does on occasion."

This time it was Frank's turn to blush.


	15. Chapter 15

Hey, guys. I'm so sorry for the long delay. I started a new position at work a few weeks ago and it's been a lot more stressful than expected. Ridiculously so. Anyway, only one more chapter after this one. I promise it won't take me a month to post it! And thanks for all the reviews - they've brought me a lot of smiles. You guys are awesome.

 **Chapter 15**

Fenton Hardy stood in the terminal, staring out at the lights of the runway guiding planes in safely in the darkness. Unable to see the call numbers of the planes in the dark of night, he glanced at his watch and resumed pacing in front of the large glass window. If everything went according to plan, they should be arriving any minute now. A smile flickered across his face. He was immensely proud of his sons; their investigative skills were even more impressive than his had been at their age. Still, he hated being out of contact with them this long; if anything had gone wrong he wouldn't know about it until…

"Hey, Dad!"

Fenton turned at the sound of Joe's voice and smiled. He saw Frank first, holding the hand of a dark-haired boy with wire-rimmed glasses slipping perilously close to the end of his nose, who was groggily plodding along next to Frank. Joe was a few steps behind them, carrying a small boy with blonde hair who was fast asleep, his head nestled against Joe's shoulder. For a moment he was struck with a feeling he couldn't quite place. Not déjà vu exactly, more like a glimpse into the future. Joe and Vanessa had made no secret of the fact that they wanted children – several of them. Fenton felt as if he had just been given a preview of what their future might hold, and he liked it.

"Any trouble?" Fenton asked, walking alongside his sons through the terminal.

"Yes."

"No."

Frank and Joe answered simultaneously, then exchanged surprised looks.

Fenton raised his eyebrows, bemused. "Yes or no?"

"Joe got shot," Frank announced quickly.

Joe scowled, shifting Jamie's dead weight on his shoulder. "I did not get shot. I got dinged."

Fenton looked at Joe pointedly. "And the difference between dinged and shot is what, exactly?" If Joe was here cracking jokes, he obviously wasn't hurt too badly. Still, given Joe's medical history and the fact they'd been out in the woods for three days gave Fenton cause for mild concern.

"Shot leaves a hole," Joe replied. "Dinged leaves a…"

"Ding?" Frank supplied helpfully.

Joe threw his brother a withering look. "Don't worry, it's fine, Dad. Florence Nightingale here made sure it was cleaned, slathered in antibiotic ointment and re-bandaged daily."

"Good," Fenton nodded at Frank in a silent thank you.

Joe grinned at his brother, hefting Jamie up a little higher. "Yeah, thanks, Florence."

Frank looked at Fenton and then rolled his eyes. "Welcome to my world." He glared when his father laughed out loud. "Hey, I've spent three days alone in the woods with these kids! I deserve a little – no, a LOT – of sympathy!"

"You mean the Bingham boys?" Fenton looked first at Jamie and then down at Ford, who had yet to utter a word.

"No!" Frank said agitated, jerking his head towards Joe and Jamie. "Them! Three days, Dad! Three days, with no escape! One of them was always yammering at me! And sometimes they double-teamed me! One of 'em in each ear! I got it in stereo!" He narrowed his eyes when Fenton laughed even louder. "Hey, don't let that angelic little face fool you." Frank gestured towards the sleeping Jamie who, in slumber, looked the picture of innocence. "That kid is ten times worse than Joe ever was. A hundred times worse," he amended, as Fenton chuckled. "Opinionated, demanding, talks a mile a minute. You can't even get a word in edgewise. They would've driven you over the edge the first night! I think I deserve something for putting up with that."

"Something like what?" Fenton teased. "A bonus?"

"A bonus. A mental health day." Frank glanced at his brother and smirked. "Combat pay."

Joe looked at him, horrified.

Laughing out loud again, Fenton put a hand on each of his sons' shoulders. "I'm glad you two are back. It's been pretty dull without you."

Fenton leaned forward slightly, peering into the darkness. He slowed and then pulled into a long dirt road on his left. A moment later a large, two-story farmhouse came into view.

The SUV came to a stop in front of the house. Joe undid his seat belt and leaned over to unhook Jamie's. The small boy stirred and opened sleepy blue eyes, lifted his head and looked past Joe out the window.

"Where are we?" he asked groggily.

"Home." Joe opened the door, climbed out and stretched.

Jamie leaned down and looked warily at the farmhouse. He scowled. "That's not our house." Scooting out he stood next to Joe, taking Joe's hand. "Where's my mom and dad?"

Fenton got out of the car in time to hear Jamie's question. Frank and Joe had regaled him with Jamie's exploits while they were in the wilderness but at that moment Jamie sounded like a scared little boy.

Ford suddenly appeared on the other side of Jamie, putting a comforting arm around his younger brother and looked up at Fenton. Fenton stopped and stared in astonishment. He'd seen the physical similarities between the Bingham boys and his own sons, but watching them now he felt as if he were looking at Frank and Joe fifteen years removed. "Are they inside?" Ford asked.

Fenton smiled. "Yes."

As he followed the foursome up the porch steps, Fenton noted the way Jamie leaned in close to his brother and how Ford reacted by pulling his little brother closer. He smiled thinking of the many times Frank and Joe had interacted that way as children. Watching Joe, he realized the memories were also tugging at his son's subconscious. Joe had turned, looking for his brother. Frank reached out and gave Joe a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

They stepped inside and Frank found himself face to face with a Federal agent. The man looked past Frank to Fenton, who nodded. The agent moved aside, allowing Frank and Joe to usher the two boys inside.

Still struck by the scene playing out before him, Fenton hung back for a moment, watching as a waterfall of memories cascaded over him.

Jamie huddled close to his older brother and moved tentatively, looking at the unfamiliar surroundings uncertainly. Ford pulled his younger brother closer still, also looking around. Joe had a hand on each of the boys' shoulders and Frank hovered behind the three of them, his gaze sweeping the long hallway in front of them as well as the surrounding rooms. It was only when Frank turned and looked at him that Fenton completely shook himself back to the present. He pointed down the hall. "Last room on the left."

Following his instructions, Joe nudged Jamie and Ford down the hall, stopping in the doorway Fenton had indicated. Forrest and Grace Bingham were seated on a sofa in the cozy looking room. Forrest was staring into the dying fire in the fireplace, lost in thought, while Grace appeared to be dozing.

"Daddy!" Jamie cried out. He flew across the room, launching himself at his father. Forrest Bingham snapped his head around, shock and relief fighting for control in his eyes. "Oh, thank God!" he choked out, jumping up just in time to catch the flying bundle.

Jamie leapt into his arms, wrapping his arms around his father's neck and holding on for dear life. "Daddy! Daddy!" Jamie repeated over and over again, soft sobs punctuating each word.

Fenton couldn't look away, his eyes riveted on the father-son reunion. Intense emotions swept over him; he felt breathless. A long-ago memory washed up and he could feel himself scooping a six-year-old Joe up in his arms and holding him tightly to his chest, swearing to himself he would never, ever let go. He heard a soft intake of breath and didn't even realize it had been him until Joe reached out and squeezed his shoulder.

"Maybe we should leave them alone for a few minutes," Frank murmured, breaking the moment.

Joe held his gaze for a second longer then glanced back towards the emotional reunion. Nodding, he wordlessly left the room. Fenton quickly followed, needing a few moments alone with his own son.

Joe stood in the shower, letting the warm water cascade over him. After three days of washing in streams or with pre-packaged towelettes, he felt like a walking science experiment, and was happy to finally be reunited with indoor plumbing. _'Mmmmmm, if only Vanessa were here,'_ he thought with a smile.

Despite the late hour, he'd called her as soon as they arrived at the safe house, and burned up the better part of an hour talking to her and missing her more with each passing second. His grin widened as he recalled Vanessa's promise.

" _When you get home," Vanessa said seductively, "we'll make up for every single minute you were gone."_

Joe happily lost himself in the images that brought to mind. _'Oh, you bet we will.'_

"OW!" Joe yelped and jumped away from the warm spray, his fantasy all but destroyed when the water hit the crease in his arm left by the bullet. Wincing, he reached to turn off the shower when he heard his brother's voice in his head.

" _How's your arm?"_

" _When we get to the safe house, make sure you clean it really well. And put some antibiotic ointment and a new bandage on it."_

Joe picked up the soap and gingerly washed the wound and the area around it, gritting his teeth as the soap found its way into the small crease. Carefully rinsing it and then twisting and turning, trying to get a good enough view to make sure it looked clean, Joe finally gave up and turned off the water. Stepping out of the shower, he dried off and ran a quick towel over his dripping hair.

Joe opened the first aid kit he'd brought in with him, pulled out a small plastic tube of antibiotic ointment, a sterile gauze pad, a roll of gauze and some tape. Applying the ointment proved to be no problem, nor did positioning the sterile dressing which, while hanging somewhat askew, stayed in place thanks to the ointment. However after several attempts to secure the pad in place with the gauze and hold it all together while tearing off and applying strips of tape, Joe finally gave up out of sheer frustration, unable to complete the task with one hand.

Pulling on a pair of sweatpants, Joe opened the bathroom door a crack, checking to see if anyone was in the hall. He heard muffled voices from somewhere else in the house and saw a shaft of light from a partially opened door down the hall, but no one else was in sight. Grabbing his dirty clothes, the first aid kit and various first aid supplies, he hurried across the hall to the room he was sharing with Frank, surprised to find his brother stretched out across the bed. He threw his clothes in a pile on the floor. "Thought you and Dad were comparing notes."

"I gave him the highlights," Frank said, with a yawn. "But I'm totally wiped. I just want to take a shower and fall into bed. Did you leave me any hot water?" He pushed himself up onto his elbows and glanced at Joe's arm. "Thought you were gonna put a bandage on that."

"Yeah, I had a little problem there. I washed it in the shower but trying to get the bandage on, hold it in place, put the tape on it…" Joe shrugged and grinned sheepishly as his voice trailed off. "Think you could gimme a hand?"

Frank shook his head, pretending to be put out. "The things I do for you." He stood and caught the small first aid kit Joe threw at him. "Have a seat."

Joe sat down on the edge of the bed. Frank repositioned the sterile pad and expertly wound it with the gauze, finishing it off with two well placed pieces of tape. "Thanks….," Joe smiled as Frank nodded, yawned again and headed for the door and his own hot shower. "…Florence."

Frank stopped mid-stride, started to turn around and then thought better of it. With a resigned shake of his head, he ignored Joe's laughter and disappeared across the hall.


	16. Chapter 16

So, we have reached the end. Thank you to everyone who followed, favorited and read this story. Very special thanks to everyone who reviewed – That Girl Six (I see you've started a new story! YIPPEE! I'll read and review very soon!), book girl fan, Paulina Ann, Anne Trent, , J, IluvJoe, Karen, Viola, Srk, vini, dragonmart, tinks, miley, pooja, meryl, Joe's fan, mini, mani, butterbeer, Sam, AV, VVK, Rainbow forest, JoeNeal, nicoleylewis, max 2013, ErinJordan, Walter, LazyPanther, MegaSpark8, Torchwood Cardiff, Bethisafan77, JamesSmith, pen4lew, Wendylouwho10, rhinosgirl, SunshineInTheGraySky, Jilsen, wittyflower45, Cherylann Rivers (hey, where's my annual Christmas card with your beautiful kids?), Story time6, Harsha, Princess of Diamonds, all the Guest reviewers, and everyone who took the time to provide suggestions and constructive criticism. It's always appreciated! You guys make every day special but I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Season's Greetings, Happy Holidays – whatever you celebrate, I hope it's happy, healthy and blessed with family and friends. Thank you for all your kindness – you rock!

 **Chapter 16**

Frank stood in the bedroom, taking a glance around to make sure he hadn't missed anything. It had been three days since he and Joe had returned Ford and Jamie Bingham to their relieved and very grateful parents. While Forrest Bingham had spent the days testifying against the men who had ordered his sons' kidnapping, Frank and Joe had stayed at the safe house watching over the boys and Bingham's wife. And Frank couldn't remember a job that had been as peaceful or fulfilling.

Frank felt a sense of sadness wash over him and sighed. He had spent the majority of his time with Ford and become quite fond of the boy. They had spent hours practicing martial arts together and Frank had been impressed with the young boy's devotion to the ancient art. Frank had also helped Ford with his studies, finding he was fascinated with the same subjects Frank had been at that age. They had spent just as many hours playing computer games and perusing the Internet together, but the thing Frank had enjoyed the most was the time they had spent just talking. He remembered Ford's comment about wishing he had an older brother and freely lavished attention on him; attention the ten-year-old seemed to crave. Frank recalled how quiet and subdued Ford had been at breakfast that morning and wondered if he was dreading the imminent goodbye as much as Frank was.

"Excuse me, Frank?"

Frank spun around, saw Grace Bingham standing uncertainly in the doorway and smiled. "Yes?"

"May I talk to you for a moment?"

At Frank's nod, she stepped into the room and closed the door. "I just wanted to thank you again. For bringing my boys home and also for…" She faltered and Frank thought he saw tears in her eyes but then she smiled. "I don't know what you did, but Ford has just blossomed these last few days." She took a few steps and sat down on the edge of the bed. Staring at the carpet, she sighed heavily. "Ford is very bright for his age."

"Yes, I noticed that," Frank said.

"He's had a hard time of it. When we realized he was gifted, we had him tested. He's several years ahead of most of his peers intellectually, and unfortunately there really weren't any programs in place at his school to nurture that. It was a small town, they didn't have the budget; they really catered to the average and slower children.

"He wants so much to fit in but because he's so much smarter than the other kids his age, even kids several years older than he is, he still stands out enough that he feels like an outcast." She looked up at Frank with a sad smile. "The last year has been extremely difficult for him. But I've seen such a change in him in the last few days. He's happier, more outgoing, more self confident and I know it's all due to you, Frank. Your patience with him, your genuine interest in him, your encouragement…"

Frank listened and realized he knew how Ford felt. While Frank had also been a 'gifted' student, there had been excellent programs in place in the Bayport school system to challenge him. Having other students on an intellectual par with him had allowed him the best of both worlds; and knowing there were a few other students even more gifted than he was, gave him a comfortable buffer. Now, knowing Ford had none of those advantages made his heart ache for the boy.

"I guess that's one good thing about being relocated. The town we're going to has excellent programs in place for kids like him. There are special classes for exceptionally gifted students, which means he won't feel so different anymore. At least while he's in those classes, he'll be just another student. And it's part of the main school so he'll still be able to go to school with Jamie but be challenged on a level that will keep him on his toes. And I know he'll be more confident going in because of you." She smiled again, this time a genuine smile.

"I'm not sure what's happened between the two of you these past few days but Ford has really come out of his shell. He's showing signs of being so much more confident in himself, more at ease with who he is and I know it's all due to you. He's really bonded with you." She stood up and reached for Frank's hand, squeezing it tightly. "Thank you." She turned and walked to the door, her hand on the knob. "I just wish there was some way he could stay in contact with you but I know that's impossible." Turning the knob, she pulled the door open and without another word, walked down the hall.

Staring at the open doorway a thought planted itself in the back of Frank's mind Was it really impossible? He pulled out his cell phone and began to dial.

Joe sat on the steps of the back deck, reclining on his elbows. Seated next to him, Jamie was chattering away a mile a minute, relating everything his parents had told him about the impending move to a new town. As he listened to Jamie describe the big house they'd be living in, complete with built-in pool, he watched Bingo chase birds, butterflies and his own shadow around the back yard.

"Dad said we're all gonna get new names!" Jamie said excitedly.

"Yup, you are," Joe agreed. He glanced at his watch and realized the family would be leaving shortly. The past few days he and Jamie had spent almost every waking moment together. At the time Joe felt as if he was just doing his job, keeping the boy safe and protected until Forrest Bingham had concluded his testimony. Yet he now realized the hours they'd spent tossing around a football or baseball, playing video games, chasing fireflies after dark, had gotten under his skin; he was suddenly struck by how much he was going to miss the happy, energetic little boy.

"Some guy already picked out our last name but Dad said we could pick our own first names." Jamie stopped and looked at Joe, practically bursting at the seams. "You wanna know what name I picked?"

Joe smiled. "You bet."

"My new name is gonna be Joe!" Jamie announced, beaming proudly.

Joe just stared, feeling speechless for the first time in his life.

"That's okay, isn't it?" Jamie asked. His blue eyes were narrowed in worry.

Joe swallowed hard, reached out and tousled the boy's golden hair. "Yeah, it's very okay."

Jamie's smile grew even wider and he reached for a plastic bag he'd brought outside with him. "Here," he thrust it at Joe. "This is for you."

Joe sat up. "For me? What is it?"

"It's a present!" Jamie rose up on his knees excitedly. "I wrapped it myself!"

Joe reached inside and pulled out a small package wrapped in the comics page of the newspaper. He smiled, thinking about how each morning he would read the comics to Jamie over breakfast and the two of them would laugh out loud. Drooping string, tied limply around the paper, served as ribbon and the loosely tied knot looked like the most beautiful bow Joe had ever seen. "Jamie, you didn't have to get me anything."

"I know, but I like you! A lot!" Jamie said unabashedly. "Hurry up!" He tugged on Joe's sleeve. "Open it!"

"Okay, here we go." Joe smiled and carefully pulled off the string paper. His eyes grew wide as he stared at Jamie's cherished hand-held Gundam Wing* game, the very game they had been playing together for the last five days.

"There's a card, too!" Jamie rooted through the bag and came up with a small index card that he thrust at Joe. "I wrote it myself. Well, Ford sorta helped me with some of the words."

Joe took the card and gazed at the wobbly lettering, the words searing themselves onto his heart.

 _To my friend Joe,_

 _Please don't forget me!_

 _Love, your friend Jamie_

Joe stared at the card, his throat growing tight. The letters blurred together as his eyes grew misty.

"What's the matter?" Jamie asked, concerned. "Don'tcha like it?"

"I love it." Joe reached out, pulled Jamie in and hugged him, then kissed the top of his head. "In fact, I think it's the best present I've ever gotten."

Hearing the back door open, Joe quickly swiped at his eyes and turned around to see Ford and Frank walking towards them.

"Did you tell him, Ford?" Jamie demanded of his brother, not moving from Joe's side. "Did you tell him everything?" He looked warily at Frank.

"Tell him what?" Joe asked.

Frank grinned at his brother. "Jamie seems to think my big brother skills are a little lacking." He recalled the previous evening when Jamie had dragged Ford to his room and informed Frank that Ford was going to tell him everything he needed to know so Joe might someday have a big brother as good as Ford. "So he had Ford give me a few pointers."

Joe's eyebrows shot up leaving him with a look of disbelief.

"It's okay, Joe," Jamie said patting the younger Hardy on the back comfortingly. "Ford helped him a lot. He's gonna be a great big brother now! You'll see." Jamie looked at him sympathetically, pity in his eyes and his voice full of concern. "Frank tries real hard," he continued looking at the elder Hardy sadly. "But he just wasn't too good at it.

"Don't worry, though," Jamie continued, mistaking Joe's disbelief for embarrassment. "He wanted to learn how to be better. He said so! And Ford taught him everything!" Jamie turned and beamed at his older brother. "He's the best big brother in the whole world!"

Frank nudged Joe and winked. "Nothing wrong with trying to improve my skills, ya know?"

Joe smiled and shook his head, locking eyes with Frank. A look passed between them that needed no words. Frank clearly saw the heartfelt emotions in his brother's expressive blue eyes.

' _Right back at ya,'_ Frank thought. "Their ride will be here in about ten minutes," he said, a trace of regret in his voice.

"Guess we better make sure you didn't forget anything." Joe stood up and pulled the Jamie to his feet. He started to follow Jamie into the house, stopping when Frank didn't move.

"We'll be there in a minute," Frank said.

Joe nodded and he and Jamie disappeared into the house.

Frank sat down at the picnic table and motioned for Ford to join him. "You know, I've really enjoyed the time we've spent together the past few days."

"Me, too," Ford agreed quietly. "A lot."

"Technically, once you move to your new house, you're not supposed to have anything to do with your old life."

"I know." Ford looked away. "Dad told me after today, I'd never see you again."

"Well, I was thinking about that." Frank smiled when Ford looked back at him. "Do you remember me telling you about my friend Phil Cohen? The guy who owns his own computer technology business?"

"Uh-huh." Ford's eyes held a wary hopefulness.

"He's really a computer whiz. He's written a lot of cutting-edge computer programs. Some of them are used by the military, the government, major corporations. He's written a special encryption program for people who want to send emails but don't want anyone to know who they are, or have it traced back to them. It's virtually impossible to break his encryptions."

Ford sat up a little straighter, his eyes alight with excitement.

Frank pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and slid it across the table to Ford. "That's Phil's email address. When you get settled in your new house, send him an email with this message. He'll send you a file with the encryption program on it so you can download it onto your computer."

Ford gasped as he realized what Frank was implying. "You already have it on your computer?"

"Mm-hmm, I do."

"So, when I get it on mine we could email each other?" the boy asked excitedly. "And no one would know?"

Frank grinned. "That's right. But only if you want to, of course."

Ford's eyes grew huge behind his glasses and he threw himself forward and hugged Frank tightly, surprising the elder Hardy. "Thank you."

Frank wrapped an arm around the boy and held him close. "You're welcome."

Twenty minutes later, Frank and Joe stood on the lawn in front of the farm house, watching the black SUV until it disappeared, leaving only a small cloud of dust in its wake. They were silent for a few moments, each lost in their own thoughts of the two little boys who had made such an impact on them in a very short period of time.

"Frank?" Joe said, finally breaking the silence.

"Yeah?"

Joe chewed on his lower lip for a moment, staring at the spot where the Bingham boys had stood only minutes before. "Being a role model for some wide-eyed kid who thinks you're the best thing since sliced bread, it's not really as easy as you've made it seem all these years." He could feel Frank's eyes on him. "I just wanted you to know I realize that now. And I'm sorry if it ever seemed like I took it, or you, for granted. I'm sure I did. But now that Jamie's helped me see how lucky I am, I'll try not to do it anymore." Joe's voice softened as he turned and looked at Frank. "Thanks, bro."

Frank stared at him a moment longer and then smiled, nodding his head in understanding and thanks. "Man, that kid was a spitfire, huh? And opinionated, too!"

"Yeah, but he was definitely wrong about one thing."

"What, that I was gonna shoot you?" Frank cracked.

"Okay, two things," Joe amended with a grin. "Those skills he thought you were so lacking in?" He held Frank's gaze, letting his emotions speak through his eyes. "He was dead wrong, bro. You could write the book."

Frank flushed and shrugged as if to say it was no big deal.

"I'm really gonna miss that kid," Joe said wistfully. "I hope he does okay in his new school. It's tough enough picking up and moving in the middle of a school year, but to do it while starting a whole new life?"

"He'll be fine. After all," Frank said with a wink, "he's got the best big brother in the whole world." He chuckled and started back towards the house.

Joe stared after him suddenly awash in childhood memories, and smiled. "No he doesn't," he whispered to himself. "I do."

Quickly, he hurried to catch up…

The End


End file.
